Sanity
by shi-chan
Summary: GenRai A strong ninja is one who is strong in body and mind. Raidou knows that and soon finds out that having a weak spirit can also be one of the biggest downfalls in a ninja. Especially when the war is within one's head.
1. Chapter 1

Me and my siblings were telling freaky stories at

each other one afternoon when Ichigo my plotbunny from

hell popped outta nowhere and this was born.

So, uh, yeah. Enjoy?

EDIT – Beta-ed by The Curtain! Wee!

**SANITY 1**

Raidou buried his face in his hands. Just moments

ago, he'd received word from his landlord that his

apartment building's foundation was too weak and that

the entire complex had to be knocked down.

Three years after the Sandaime's death and the battle

against Sound, there had been a great increase in the

rebuilding of many of Konoha's business and

residential buildings. Just last year, Raidou had had

to shelter two of his friends while they searched

through Konoha for available places to rent. It had

taken them nearly a month of tedious searching and

enquiring until they had finally settled for a nice

small apartment with an attached kitchen somewhere

down on Market Street.

Raidou wasn't so sure he'd have the same luck as

Izumo and Kotetsu.

Just less than nine months ago, the apartment Genma

had been comfortably living in since his ANBU days had

to be knocked down thanks to some genius who had

decided to counter the Sound attacks with a Douton

jutsu and managed to shake the foundations enough to

create air gaps. What used to be a secure foundation

fitting for an eight-story building was now weakened

and heavily damaged.

Genma had come to live with Raidou for a few weeks

before he quickly grabbed the first vacant studio

apartment he could find. And it was just two blocks

away from the Academy. The apartment turned out to be

so small that whenever Raidou came to visit, he

stubbed his toe so many times from walking in to the

corners of the furniture that he lost count. There

just wasn't enough space to even walk in. The kitchen

could not even really be considered a kitchen and the

bathroom was barely even mentionable as a room.

Genma's older place that had gotten torn down had

been at least three times the size of his current one.

But this was shelter and a place to eat and sleep in

so he couldn't complain.

After all, ninjas can't be picky.

Kakashi had suffered the same fate, as did many of

Konoha's bachelors. It wasn't rare these days to find

a Jounin or a Chuunin walking in and out of apartment

complexes crossing out newspaper ads with a pen.

Raidou remembered how Iruka had suffered the most;

he'd had to move nearly eight times in less than a

year and a half.

Raidou sighed in to his hands before taking a good

look at his soon to be ex-apartment; a single bedroom

with kitchen, bath and a fairly spacious living room

designed for a single person. Raidou liked his current

home and regretted that the landlord wanted him gone

within the a week so that the reconstruction could

start as soon as possible. But as much as Raidou

wanted to complain, he really couldn't.

After all he wasn't the only one suffering the same

fate. Just a few months ago, Gai had been forced to

pack up and live under Lee's roof for a while because

his building was being reconstructed too.

Raidou had considered himself a lucky man with his

current apartment because one, he lived next to an old

lady who thought of him like her grandson and always

makes sure he had dinner to eat; two, his landlord was

a rather nice, petite woman who cared about all of the

building's occupants and gave laundry services; and

three, his block was one of the cleanest and most

decent places in the village since the majority of

it's occupants were families.

"It shouldn't be too hard." Raidou grumbled to

himself as he got dressed for work.

Besides, there should be loads of available spaces

for rent in Konoha. It is a pretty big village, after

all.

XXX

Raidou dropped himself into one of the office lounge

chairs, exaughsted. It never ceased to amaze him how

much proto-nins would drain their teachers. One of the

Academy teachers was on maternity leave and since

there was no one else with experience, Raidou had been

taken in as her substitute until she returned. Raidou

wasn't complaining because the pay was still the same.

It was just draining him so much to be teaching on top

of being at the critical point of losing his home and

he didn't even have enough time to take a look around

Konoha for apartments.

Cracking his knuckles, Raidou grabbed a nearby

newspaper and flipped through the ads section,

searching for available spaces to rent. It was by the

second page that Genma strolled into the lounge

looking like he had just came out of a bull fight.

Raidou gave him a funny look and wrinkled his nose at

the soiled pants and calf-wrappings.

Raidou blinked, setting the newspaper on his lap for

a moment. "What happened to you?"

"Mission. I was clean when I got back, mind you. Some

brat was practicing the mud-slide technique just as I

was passing by." Genma spat his senbon into the bin

because it was broken in half.

"And you didn't try to dodge it?" Raidou asked

slowly.

"I didn't even know what hit me," Genma grumbled and

that was when Raidou couldn't help but laugh at the

sheer stupidity of it all. "Hey! I just got back from

an A class mission. I'm tired! I'm out of charka and

I've been sleeping in wetlands for the last two days!"

"You got hit by a douton jutsu from a kid! That's not

an excuse, jounin-san!" Raidou grinned and picked up

the newspaper. "Go home, Genma. You're starting to

smell."

"Not funny." Genma grumbled, grabbing a bottle of

mineral water from the fridge to drink. "You looking

for something?" Genma mumbled as he took long sip of

water, eyeing the newspaper Raidou was absorbed in.

"Hmm yeah, sort of." Raidou answered, not looking up

from the paper. "Too pricey." He mumbled to himself.

"What are you looking for?" Genma asked, draining the

bottle and tossing the empty plastic in the bin.

"My apartment is going down." Raidou answered sadly,

a hint of depression in his voice.

Genma couldn't help the wince. "Oh Raidou." There was

pity in his voice and Raidou glared at him for it.

"Hey, you can come live with me then."

Raidou went back to reading the paper with the

occasionally grumbled 'no way' or 'can't afford it' as

he read and disregarded one ad after the other. "Sorry

Genma, but I really, really shouldn't. Don't you think

you're being a bit forward? We haven't even slept

together yet."

Genma blinked, a bit pink in the cheeks. "Raidou, I

didn't mean it –"

"Genma, my friend, I was joking." Raidou looked up

from the paper and offered him a smile.

Genma grinned. "So does that mean you're still

willing to sleep with me?"

"Take a bath first and then I'll answer that

question." Raidou grinned back. It wasn't uncommon for

them to be heard flirting with each other shamelessly.

It was sort of a best-friends act of affection. "I

appreciate your offer Genma. Really I do. But your

apartment is small enough as it is even without my

fridge, gas range and boxes of junk. You don't even

have enough floor space for an extra mattress."

"Hey, hey, I thought you said you're willing to sleep

with me." Genma pointed out, hands coming to rest on

his hips.

"Be serious man." Raidou mumbled, turning the page of

the newspaper. "I doubt I'll be getting much sleep at

all for the next week. I have seven days to find

someplace, starting tomorrow. Most of the other

tenants have already started moving their things out."

Genma felt sorry for Raidou again and apparently it

showed because it earned him a good kick on his soiled

shins. "Raidou, I'd gladly keep some of your stuff

under my roof. I mean, sure, the door is going to be

blocked but that's where the window comes in handy,

right?"

Raidou smiled gratefully at him, "Thanks. I'll

probably end up having a junk sale though." Raidou

folded the newspaper and sighed heavily. "Rent has

gone up lately, and with the amount of money I'm

paying for my pension, food, laundry, and current

rent, I really don't have much in the way of savings.

Missions have been on the downside lately and I'm

teaching. Half of the rates in the paper are double

the amount I'm paying for my apartment right now."

"Which is why I say you should just come live with

me. We can split the rent!" Genma sighed.

"It's okay Genma. Maybe after you propose." Raidou

stood up. "I'm going to go check out a few of these.

Some are only a thousand ryos and a little higher."

"Raidou," Genma sighed tiredly. "Look man, I'm here

if you need anything."

"Thanks Genma." Raidou said gratefully and rubbed at

his scarred cheek. "I'll be fine. I bet you a week's

worth of dinner that I'll have shelter found in no

time."

XXX

Raidou dropped onto his bed at eleven o' clock that

evening after much snooping around and checking out

the places he was willing to pay extra for. So far,

out of the ten ads he'd circled in the paper, all of

them were crossed out.

They were all located in bad areas to begin with

since most were either near the landfill or the red

light district itself. And on top of that, not one of

them had good plumbing, some didn't even have

bathrooms, and one of the ones that did didn't have a

toilet seat. Raidou had been left with a horrible

headache by the end of it all. What annoyed him the

most about the whole deal was that they were over

charging for extremely unhealthy and unsanitary living

spaces; if they could even be called living spaces.

Raidou wasn't able to sleep that night so he busied

himself with gathering his things and packing them in

boxes. By four AM, he fell asleep only to be roused

four hours later to attend to his Academy duties. He

had a pounding beast of a headache the entire day and

all his breaks and planning periods were spent reading

through newspaper after newspaper and running around

the village checking out vacancies.

Raidou suddenly didn't feel all that lucky.

Either all the good priced apartment was already

taken or there wasn't any plumbing in the places he

checked. Because most of Konoha was undergoing

renovations and/or reconstruction, Raidou was having

one hell of a hard time pinning down a decent place to

live. So for the next five days, he got neither sleep,

rest nor proper food from all the running around and

hurrying to find an empty space.

By the seventh day, Raidou was feeling more than

willing to share Genma's bed and stub his toes on the

walls, bed, fridge and table if it meant having

shelter and actual plumbing.

Raidou stepped out of his morning shower and got

dressed. There would be a lot of things he'd miss when

he moved out. For one, he'd definitely miss the bakery

across the street. He bought himself a muffin for

breakfast as he walked to the Academy, feeling more

and more sullen about the whole ordeal of moving away.

He sighed as he tossed the muffin wrapper in to the

litter bin on the street, ignoring all the ads posted

on the walls and lamp posts.

Exhausted and weary, Raidou sighed for the umpteenth

time that day. He knew he really had very little hope

of finding a house right away. When he reached the

lounge, he sifted through the papers to find the same

ads he'd seen the entire week. Sighing, he tossed the

paper back on the desk just as the bell rang to

signify the start of the school day.

XXX

Raidou felt stressed to the breaking point. Banging

his head on the wall was beginning to seem very

inviting at the moment.

"I'm doomed," He grumbled into his hands.

Raidou remained that way for a while before standing

up to go find Genma. Genma was on gate duty but

perhaps he could strike a deal with one of the other

guards to take his shift while he gave Raidou a hand

with moving boxes over to his apartment.

Raidou walked down the common path towards the

Southern gates. It was a windy afternoon and the food

wrappers that were blown out of the litter bins were

dancing in circles in the empty street. Raidou would

have picked them up if he weren't so dead on his feet.

He was barely even paying attention until a page from

a newspaper blew up and slapped him in the face.

Raidou grumbled and cursed and ripped the paper off

his face. "Damn litter bins should have covers –" He

stopped dead in the middle of his sentence as he

realized that he was staring at a small newspaper

article advertising available spaces for rent.

Raidou read the ad properly and found that the

apartment complex was located in one of more decent

areas of Konoha where the majority of its residents

were families. Looking around him for a moment, Raidou

rolled the paper up and tucked it into his back

pocket, switching directions to make his way towards

said part of town.

The price wasn't listed, but according to the ad, it

was a two bedroom apartment with a washing room,

kitchen, and a bathroom with a tub. For that area and

space measurements, Raidou was more than willing to

pay one thousand ryos more than before and just work

double shifts to pay for it.

With adrenalin rushing through him, Raidou hurried on

his way.

XXX

To say that Raidou was impressed would be an

understatement. He stared at the ten-story, beige and

maroon painted building. Raidou noted that the windows

were made of the one-way view tinted glass that seemed

to be the newest trend in Konoha. Just seeing the

building was enough to make Raidou want to live in it

even more.

The pavement was smooth, well kept and seemed to be

newly painted, the area was quiet with no hints of

litter, there were little bits of greenery around, and

just down the street Raidou could make out the river.

It was definately a good deal.

Then it hit Raidou. Could I afford this place? It

doesn't look like it'll come cheap.

Inhaling deeply, Raidou steeled himself and entered

the apartment's lobby. He noted that the place indeed

looked a lot more expensive than any of the other

buildings he had seen in the past week. The floors

seem to sparkle and smelled faintly of some sort of

floral cleaning agent. Raidou was very pleased to

conclude that there seemed to be a good maintenance of

building-hygiene.

He couldn't help but smile as he approached the desk

where a teenager was sitting and listening to music

through a pair of headphones. He tapped the desk to

get the boy's attention.

"Heyo' how may I help you sir?" The boy asked.

"I read an ad in the paper that you have available

spaces for rent? I just wanted to have a look around

and ask about prices." Raidou answered.

The boy blinked at him slowly once, twice, before

sighing. "Ah, well the boss isn't here right now. He's

gone to his grandson's birthday party. I – I can show

you around if you want." The boy shrugged.

Raidou smiled a bit. "I'd like that, thanks. Namiashi

Raidou." He stuck his hand out for the boy to shake.

"Kaoru Hoshi." The boy took the hand. "People just

call me K."

"Nice to meet you K." Raidou dipped his head.

"So uh, you a Chuunin or a Jounin? It's on the last

floor actually, and the elevator's machine is being

repaired. It should be done by tonight." K said,

pointing to where a group of men were fixing the

elevator down the far side of the lobby.

"Jounin. And no, I don't mind." Raidou peered at the

men who were installing new elevator wires and chains.

"Cool. Follow me then." K motioned for Raidou to

follow him to the opposite side of the elevator toward

a set of sliding doors that opened to reveal a clean

staircase.

The hike up to the tenth floor was tiring for K,

being the average teenager, but Raidou didn't mind

stopping for the boy to catch a breather. When they

did reach the top floor, Raidou was more than pleased

to find that the hallway was clean and that each door

had a rubber mat in front.

"This is a very nice place." Raidou mumbled, looking

up at the bright ceiling lights.

"Yeah, the boss poured most of her cash in to

building it. Anyway, this way. Each floor has seven

doors. There are four spaces for rent here on the

tenth. Doors ten-C, ten-D, ten-E and ten-F. So far, C,

D and E have been reserved but they're all pretty much

the same. So I'll just show you F."

"No problem." Raidou followed K down the hall and

watched the boy pull out a set of keys from his lose

pants and unlock the apartment door.

"Here we are. Each floor is given a theme. The tenth,

being the highest, was given the name Sky by the boss.

I don't know why but I figured it must be something

sentimental. So uh, half the stuff in here goes with

the color blue." K switched on the lights and motioned

for Raidou to enter. "Go on. See if you like it."

Raidou touched the smooth, blue-tinted walls and ran

his fingers across it as he entered the living room.

The floors were a light color of blue. Even the

bathroom and kitchen were pretty much the same shade.

The area was big, the toilet seemed to be functioning

properly, and the apartment itself looked well

maintained and appeared to get regular cleanings until

someone rented the place out.

"So how much are you guys renting this place out

for?" Raidou asked, pushing one of the windows open.

From there he had a view of the river and the Academy.

It was a beautiful place to live, and he could even

have Genma move in if he wanted to split rent and have

a bigger space.

K was fiddling with his walkman in his pocket while

he answered. "Oh, uh, this place goes out for two

thousand ryos a month."

Raidou felt his legs turn to jelly. "That's it?" he

gasped.

K blinked. "Uh, yeah. Is it too much?"

Raidou couldn't believe his luck. His old apartment

went out for two-thousand-three-hundred ryos and it

wasn't even as spacious as this one. It didn't even

have a view. "No. No it's not. In fact, it's perfect.

When can I move in?"

K blinked and rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh,

whenever you want I suppose. Though I suggest you wait

for the elevator to be fixed."

"That's fine. My current residence is going to be

knocked down tomorrow or the day after. Is it all

right if I bring in a few possessions?" Raidou asked.

"I suppose it shouldn't be a problem. You just have

to fill out a few forms, pay this month's rent and

I'll hand you the keys." K beamed.

Raidou blinked. "And your boss?"

"Will speak to you two days from now. He left me in

charge so it's okay." K smiled sheepishly.

Raidou took another look around the place. "That

seems fair. So where are those forms?"

TBC

Chapter lengths may vary.

Tell me what you think?


	2. Chapter 2

Here be chapter two. Fast huh? Well, I'm on a roll? I'm inspired so I grab opportunity to not be lazy?

Enjoy.

**SANITY 2**

Thirty minutes later, Raidou was nearly skipping towards the Southern gates with a pair of keys jingling in his pocket. It didn't take long for him to arrive at the gates to where he found Genma perched on the roof of the watch tower, staring boredly at the sunset.

"Oi!" Raidou called out, waving in greeting as Genma turned.

"Hey, hey!" Genma waved from the top. He swung himself in to the watch tower and spoke to the other nin on duty before joining Raidou on the ground. "You seem to be in a good mood."

"I am." Raidou pulled out a pair of keys from his pocket and jingled it at Genma.

"Oh! You got a space?" Genma smirked.

"Not just any space. It's _the_ space. It's big man. Like really big and I'm paying three-hundred ryos less than my current space." Raidou beamed.

"No kidding. You're lucky. Just before your dead line. And here I was thinking you were going to camp at the park bench or something." Genma grinned at his very happy friend.

"I was actually going to take up your offer of sleeping in your bed and stuff." Raidou shrugged.

Genma blinked and peered at Raidou's face. "You serious?"

"Yep. Hundred percent." Raidou watched as Genma eyed him closely and _way too_ seriously before playfully hitting him on the shoulder. "Looks like I owe you one week's worth of dinner."

Genma smiled slowly. "Ah that one. Look, how about you and I go have an evening out, nice dinner, some drinks maybe a movie and I'll call it even?"

Raidou nodded. "Your choice."

"No, no." Genma shook his head and held Raidou by the shoulders. "I want _you_ to make the choice. Wanna' go out with me?"

Raidou gave Genma a funny look. "We _always_ go out together Genma. Of course I want to go out with you. I wouldn't have agreed otherwise." Genma nodded a few seconds later, seemingly a bit disappointed but a bit happy. Raidou wasn't very sure what his friend was thinking but he shrugged it off as stress. "Genma, I need your help."

"Anything." Genma shrugged, hands snuggling in to his pockets.

"I need to get my stuff out and in to the – " Raidou stopped speaking when Genma raised a hand in a halt signal.

"Say no more. Give me a minute to speak to Aoba." Genma vanished towards the watch tower and took a few minutes of talking and rapid hand movements to the other shades-wearing shinobi till he finally patted Aoba's shoulder, gave him a friendly embrace before joining Raidou back on the ground. "Let's go?"

Raidou nodded, briefly looking back up at Aoba who was reading the newspaper. "Yeah, sure."

The walk back to Raidou's old apartment was rather silent. Things didn't take long to move about since Raidou had most of his things in boxes already. Fifty shadow clones and five hours later, Raidou's old apartment was near empty save for the bed and fridge since Raidou was a happy owner of a walk-in closet. It was exhausting to move things back and forth a district away with no help of a carriage. It was no longer strange to find clones walking with boxes of possession in a ninja village because normal was strange and strange was normal. So no one really paid much attention to the twenty five clones each of Raidous and Genmas walking a neat line with boxes or pieces of furniture.

The shadow technique eventually took its toll and left both Genma and Raidou to the point of falling asleep on any available flat surface. It was so tiring because carrying possessions up ten floors was a strain to both their chakra holds. They resorted to soldier pills and by the unholy hour of eleven thirty, the last set of clones wedged the fridge and bed in to Raidou's new apartment before vanishing in to clouds of chakra smoke.

Genma took a good look around the apartment and checked the bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom. "Good plumbing too." He commented looking at the corners and ceiling.

"Yep. I'm lucky." Raidou beamed.

Genma was staring at the far wall down the hall towards the bedroom. "I guess so. Congratulations Raidou. When's home warming party?"

"When I fix things up?" Raidou grinned.

Genma smiled a bit. "I'll help you fix this place up tomorrow."

"Thanks. I really appreciate it." Raidou looked completely grateful that the soft look on his face took off years from his normally serious face.

Genma waved a hand. "Anything for you."

Raidou suddenly felt like the words ran deeper than it should. Just as Raidou was about to answer the phrase he heard Genma's stomach growl. "Did you skip lunch?"

"And breakfast." Genma grumbled. "I was supposed to get my pay yesterday but it got postponed till tomorrow."

"Why didn't you say anything to me, stupid idiot!" Raidou glared and tugged Genma towards the door. "Come on. Let's get something to eat."

"Hey, hey don't pity me. You know I've been through worst." Genma scowled.

"I know you have and I don't pity you. I just feel bad because you haven't eaten yet. What kind of a person would I be if I didn't care?" Raidou stared at Genma, a bit hurt that his good intentions seemed unwelcome.

"I didn't mean it that way, Raidou. I just meant, well – ah, forget it! I don't know what I mean anymore. Half the time I'm with you I can't even think straight! Come on, there's this new barbeque place Asuma told me about." Genma lead the way down the stair case, a bit red in the face from a blush or temper, Raidou couldn't tell.

Raidou stared at Genma's back a bit, dawning on him that he was going to eat barbeque before it him. "What do you mean you can't think straight when you're with me? Oi! Genma!"

Raidou chased after Genma, locking his apartment door and running after the younger man down the stair case.

XXX

Raidou had been too tired by the time he reached his apartment. What was supposed to be a nice dinner of barbeque later on evolved to a few talks of not having enough time to unwind and how problems seems to spew out of nowhere over a few glasses of beer. Genma managed to steer Raidou away from the fifth glass because Raidou just wasn't good when it came to any drinks that contained even a small percentage of alcohol.

Genma sighed as he grabbed Raidou by the shoulders yet again to lead him away from the lamppost he was about to walk in to. "Remind me next time not to bring you near beer next time."

Raidou's face was flushed as he lifted one leg and stumbled a bit in to Genma. "But beer is good. And just what is that supposed to mean? Are you saying I'm weak?"

Genma shook his head. "No, you're not weak. You're just not good with alcohol."

"Stingy bastard." Raidou grumbled and clutched his head. "My head hurts. And just what is wrong with these lampposts?" Raidou grumbled staring at the flickering lampposts that lined his entire block.

"The electricity generator must be malfunctioning or something." Genma answered, wrapping one of Raidou's arms around his shoulder so he can hoist the older man in a more stable manner.

Raidou made a grumbling unintelligible sound as he tore his eyes off the lampposts. All the way down the block, the lamps were either flickering or not functioning at all. Most of the houses that lined the block had either their lights dimmed or switched off. Genma was annoyed at the fact that the electricity department wasn't fixing the block's lighting. They couldn't really be blamed since there seemed to be a lot of rewiring and underground drilling for new building foundations.

Genma continued helping Raidou back to his apartment. By the time they reached the lobby, Genma was very pleased to see the small written notice that the elevator was fixed and was now functioning properly.

Raidou pointed at the elevator. "Hey, hey it's fixed! No more running up the stairs!"

Genma nodded and pushed the metallic sliding doors of the elevator open and pressed the button marked with the number ten just as he slid the sliding doors shut again. "Yep, no more running up the stairs. I can only imagine you'd heave in the middle of the climb."

The elevator jolted as the chains turned and the loud rumble and hum of the machine filled the small space. As the elevator cell ascended, the occasional concrete flashed over the metallic doors.

"They really are in different colors." Raidou pointed at the floors that passed by as the elevator moved higher up. "I was told that my floor was called Sky for some reason or the other. I wonder what the others are called."

Genma sighed. "Probably along the same lines. Water, plants, leaves or whatever. You know how sentimental people can get."

The elevator jolted and came to a complete stop at the tenth floor and the machine's rumble silenced. "Okay, we're here. You can go home now." Raidou waved at Genma as he pushed the sliding doors aside.

"No way. Come on big guy. I'm taking you to bed. If I leave you now, you'd be asleep somewhere in the middle of the corridor!" Genma grumbled and stirred Raidou towards his apartment door.

"I'm not a big guy! Do I look fat to you?" Raidou turned around to glare at Genma but failed to do so with the smashed expression on his face.

"No you don't! You look fine. Hot even! Now walk and get to bed!" Genma grumbled and pushed Raidou towards his door. "Give me your keys."

"Okay, okay." Raidou felt around in his pocket and nearly pouted after a few seconds of feeling about for his keys. "I can't find it."

"Did you leave it inside?" Genma sighed. "Move your hands away, Raidou."

"Why?" Raidou aimed a full pout at Genma without knowing it.

"Because I'm going to look for it." Genma pushed Raidou's hand out of the way and slipped his own hand down the pocket. "It's right here, you fool."

"My fingers feel funny." Raidou stared at his fingers.

"You're just smashed, man." Genma mumbled and pulled the keys out. He inserted the brand new key in to the door lock and blinked. "Hey, you didn't lock the door."

Raidou scrounged his face in thought. "Yes I did."

"Well it's unlocked. What, you want to get robbed now? What if someone stole your fridge or your bed?" Genma pushed the door open and tugged Raidou in. "You have to be more careful, Raidou."

"Sorry. I must have forgotten." Raidou grumbled and wobbled for his sheet-less bed in the corner that was against the bedroom wall. "Thanks Gen-gen."

Genma smiled as Raidou dropped himself on the bed and curled up against his pillow. "Anytime, Rai-rai. Good night." Genma found the blanket in one of the boxes and quickly picked it up and covered Raidou. "Sleep well."

Genma turned to leave the bedroom. "Genma?" Raidou called out, cheek pressed against the pillow and eyes closed.

Genma looked over his shoulder. "Yeah?"

"You said it was my decision right?" Raidou yawned and snuggled deeper in to the pillow.

"What was?" Genma blinked.

"About going out with you for lunch and stuff." Raidou's words were getting slurred and nearly a whisper with each passing second.

"Yeah, I did say that." Genma approached Raidou's bed and knelt on the ground to peer at Raidou's face. "Something wrong about it?"

Raidou made a sound to signify his disagreement. "No. I'd like to go out with you is all. I figured I'd tell you because you looked unhappy earlier."

Genma moved to untie the forehead protector that Raidou wore and placed it beside the pillow. "No, it's fine. I'm not unhappy."

"That's good." Raidou sighed deeply. "That's really good."

Genma smoothed Raidou's hair as the man slipped in to deep slumber and his breathing evened out. "Sleep well."

Without another word, Genma turned to leave the apartment and made sure that this time, he left with the door locked from the inside.

XXX

Raidou woke up to the sound of a door slamming and feeling of the morning sun penetrating through his tinted windows. Raidou blinked and concentrated in seeing things in front of him properly before turning to the wall beside his bed to where the loud sound of a door slamming had awakened him. He grumbled and pushed himself off the bed.

"Stupid idiot." He mumbled at nobody in particular. He had one hell of a headache as he puttered for the bathroom and cranked the taps open for a warm shower. He continued muttering till he was done with his shower and proceeded to dress for the day. That was when he heard the front door of the apartment next to him slam loudly once more. He wondered why the person was slamming doors at seven-thirty in the morning.

Raidou proceeded towards his fridge that was right in the middle of the kitchen. That was when Raidou noticed that the appliance itself wasn't plugged and that whatever food he had in the fridge would probably be long gone. Just as he suspected, Raidou tossed the milk carton in to a plastic bag that was his make shift trash bin for the moment. Raidou wasn't really a morning person and when he heard the front door next door slam again and heavy thudding footsteps rushing down the corridor, he had to frown.

Grumbling once more, Raidou put on his sandals and checked that he had his keys, weapons and wallet. He decided to take time off before five in the afternoon to fix up the place. Raidou doubled checked behind him and pulled the front door open. He paused and peered at the door knob.

"Genma you idiot!" Raidou hissed and wrenched the door open and slammed it behind him, locked the door and made sure he heard the lock click in place. "I can't believe he didn't bother to lock he door behind him! I'll kill him!"

Raidou stomped for the elevator to find it waiting for him already. Few minutes later, after the rumble of the elevator machine nearly drove Raidou insane and made his headache worst, he was running towards the administrative office to grab some breakfast from the staff lounge. That was where he found Genma about sip his coffee. Clearly not a very morning person, Raidou stalked for Genma and grabbed the cup off his friend and drank it.

"Hey, that's mine!" Genma protested and watched with a depressed look how the last of the coffee went in to Ebisu's cup who later disappeared.

"You left me alone, vulnerable and in a dangerous position with my door unlocked!" Raidou glared and took a longer sip of the coffee.

"What do you mean left you with your door unlocked? Of course I locked it! And you have to complain to the landlord or whoever is in charge man! The elevator died on me last night! I had to take the stairs!" Genma complained.

"Yeah well you're a ninja and – hey! I took the elevator this morning. You must have been really sleepy." Raidou answered, looking about the breakfast tray and taking one of the sandwiches.

Genma blinked. "Well, maybe the engine needs time out or something. You know, not go up and down really fast and stuff. One of those really poor quality machines."

Raidou shrugged. "Maybe. But you didn't lock my door! I was smashed! What, you want me to lose my stuff? I paid so much for my fridge and bed you know!"

Genma rolled his eyes. "Of course I don't want you to lose your stuff, silly! I'm telling you I locked your door before leaving last night. Maybe the door knob is ruined from the inside or something. Change it."

Raidou shrugged. "I'll check when I go home." Although Raidou said no more, he was still frowning.

Genma continued staring at Raidou. "So you need help?"

Raidou blinked then scowled at Genma, chewing on the sandwich. "With what?"

Genma gestured to the coffee cup. "With that."

Raidou swallowed the food in his mouth and took another big chomp off his sandwich. "No. I can finish it on my own." Genma's shoulders drooped and he sighed, picking a needle off the holster around his thigh and chewing on it.

Raidou finished his sandwich and took a short sip from the cup just as he glanced at the clock on the wall. "Here." He thrust the cup towards Genma and turned to leave. "Later."

When the door clicked closed, Genma blinked at it then dropped his gaze towards the mug. Raidou had left him half a cup of coffee.

TBC

There was a fatal mistake in the apartment numbers for rent in the last portion of the previous chapter. It should have been seven flats on each floor with four spaces for rent on the tenth floor. Raidou took flat ten-F. I've made remedies and re-uploaded the correction.

Uh yeah. I realized I've kept a 6 pages per chapter limit so far. O.o

But still, chapter lengths will vary.

So uh, what do you think? Weird yet? Amuse me with your uh … visions? Thoughts? Suspicions?


	3. Chapter 3

**SANITY 3**

Raidou got off work at nearly six in the afternoon. There was a rush of D-rank missions coming in to the extent that there wasn't enough genins available; the pile had to be taken care off. From one in the afternoon till only the past five minutes, Raidou was busy running around the village completing D-rank missions and although the pay was never going to be as good as any B or A-rank mission, money was money. While he was busy weeding a garden of an old lady who sold tomatoes in the market, he caught sight of a sobbing ninja who just lost his home due to the loans he couldn't pay the bank. The man, who Raidou once witnessed his skills in the field, was crying silent tears while his two daughters lagged behind, each holding their respective stuffed toys with boxes of belongings beside their feet. Raidou estimated that both girls could not have been older than three and four.

Being in a ninja village, it was hard to have proper savings especially when one came from a clan or had a family to support. Everyone was so busy paying their medical bills and other necessities to even have any form of savings. When one had a good five thousand ryos saving and suddenly went for an A-class mission and came back injured, that amount went to getting treated. It was a chain really, which is why most of the ninjas enjoyed what little pleasure they can get in life in the very moment it was presented to them.

Raidou felt sorry for that man and those two kids. He once had to pull himself together to the point of breaking after a near death-experience A-class mission one winter day years ago. That was when he got the scar on his face and shoulder. He was hospitalized for nearly two weeks and everything he saved from the time he recovered after the Kyuubi's incident and lost all his family, went to the bills of that occasion. Raidou was a Chuunin then, and all his savings came from measly D-rank missions and the occasional C-rank or two. It was _just_ enough to keep a shelter above his head. Putting food on the table was a whole different matter. There were days when Raidou would go on with no food at all simply because he just had to pay the electricity bill to keep the heater running in his apartment rather than suffer pneumonia. He was just about fifteen then – the age where he knew how to slit one's throat but barely knew how to even slice fish fit for eating.

Raidou had had his days which makes him all the more grateful for reaching his current status and standing to be able to trust himself to not go on another day without anything to eat or worrying that the heater was going to die on him in the middle of winter.

But at the moment, he cursed his current standing. Since he was one of the few available nins that day, he was worked hard to the core for several hours till he completed eighteen D-rank missions. Raidou was looking forward to get his apartment straightened out because the sight of boxes everywhere and piled up furniture just wasn't something he wanted to see when he came back from work. Work was chaotic enough as it is. Raidou didn't want to have chaos in his own home as well.

Dragging his feet in to the lobby, he was surprised to find the desk empty. He was expecting K to be sitting there with his feet propped on the table and listening to music. Shrugging and grumbling, Raidou headed for the elevator and stepped in the small space. The loud rumbling of chains and the machine filled his ears as he was pulled up to the tenth floor. He watched with boredom and slight amusement as the different colored hallways passed by him through the metallic doors. He was quite puzzled how all the flats had identical rubber doormats and how all those doormats were just empty; although he did notice a pair of boots in one of the doors in the fourth floor as the elevator passed by it.

Raidou yawned widely.

The elevator came to a halt and Raidou pushed the doors aside as he headed for his front door. Sighing, Raidou inserted the key to his door only to find the door moving to become slightly ajar.

"What the – I locked up this morning!" Raidou growled and pushed the door open and stormed inside the apartment, kicking the door closed. Being a ninja, he would have sensed a presence if there was anyone inside, but he felt none. He looked around the boxes to note that none of them were missing and none seemed to be touched. He found his tool box and picked out a screwdriver before dragging a stool towards his door. Being a ninja made one very good when it came to doing mechanical things be it simple door knobs, or electrical circuits. It came within the curriculum and training. Raidou was very much surprised to find one of the hooks inside the lock was broken, which was why the door came unlocked in a few minutes after locking. Sighing yet again, Raidou left the door and moved a heavy box to keep the door closed.

For the next three hours, Raidou unpacked and set up his furniture the way it would suit in the living room. Genma was assigned a B-rank mission that involved him going out of the village for a few days. Raidou had to deal with his constant apologizing to the point Raidou just had to kick him in the shins to keep him quiet. It could not be helped and Raidou wasn't bitter for Genma abandoning him. That's when the shadow clones come in handy anyway.

Much later on in the evening, Raidou had his living room straightened out. He moved the extra boxes that still needed to be unpacked to the spare room. Raidou felt too tired and not bothered to grab something to eat. He worked for a few more hours in straightening out his papers and books in to a new box and throwing out the stuff he didn't need before calling it a night. A shower and a glass of water later, Raidou was fast asleep on his bed.

The sound of the elevator chains turning and its loud machine rumbling startled Raidou awake. He had to blink and throw the pillow over his head as he heard the elevator chains rattle and pull the elevator downwards. A quick glance at the clock on his dresser told him that it was only three-thirty in the morning. The machine didn't seem to stop for what felt like ages and Raidou was ready to slam his head in to the wall to fall asleep again. When the elevator machine did stop and silence fell upon the apartment complex again, Raidou glanced at the clock blearily once more to find the dials reading three-fifty.

Raidou pulled the pillow over his head again and fell asleep.

XXX

When Raidou woke up the next morning upon hearing the loud slamming of the main door in apartment ten-G, he was feeling cranky and his temper was burning up. He wasn't able to sleep well after being awakened rudely by the elevator chains and machine. As a result of his annoyed feeling, he bumped in to nearly everything and nearly killed all of his toenails.

Raidou stormed for his Academy duties and nearly made three kids cry because he couldn't control his temper. By the time the classes did end, Raidou was ready to collapse against the table and he did. That was how Genma found him.

"Raidou?" Genma approached the man and shifted the needle back and forth his lips.

"If it's work, I don't want to hear it." Raidou grumbled and untied the forehead protector to massage his scalp in hopes to ward away the splitting headache.

"Are you feeling okay?" Genma stood behind Raidou and pulled the man to an upright position and titled Raidou's head back so that it was leaning against his chest. Genma slowly started to rub out the stress in Raidou's scalp, watching as Raidou's face slowly relaxed.

"Headache. Some asshole on my floor just _had_ to use the elevator at three thirty in the morning." Raidou sighed as the fingers moved through his scalp. "You know how loud that elevator is?"

"You just moved in and you're already complaining." Genma said, smirking.

"Oh yeah and the door lock is ruined. I gotta' buy a new one today." Raidou said, not making any movement from moving away from the warm fingers.

"I got some free time. Do you still have things to fix in your apartment?" Genma asked, fingers no longer massaging but running through thick brown locks instead.

"Yeah. Sort of." Raidou replied and pushed himself off his leaning back position and stood up. "I better get going. I still have the bedroom to sort out."

Genma grabbed Raidou's shoulder. "I'll help. I didn't yesterday and –"

"If you apologize one more time I'll sock you in the face. And fine, you can help too." Waves Genma to follow him as he tied his forehead protector on. "Can we stop for something to eat first? I'm hungry. I want a steak."

Genma blinked and raised an eyebrow. "Uh sure. We can go to that place in the end of Market Street."

"They got good steak?" Raidou stared at Genma, a certain gleam that Genma couldn't quite understand its meaning.

Genma raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. You said so yourself. Once. A long time ago."

Raidou nodded and seemed convinced. "Good. Good. Why don't you lead the way?"

Genma stared at Raidou quietly for a few seconds before shrugging. "As you like. It's my treat."

Raidou beamed in a way that exposed too many teeth. "In that case, you better get ready. I'm really, really hungry."

XXX

Raidou rubbed his stomach as he picked at his teeth with the tooth pick he snagged off the service counter on their way out of the restaurant. He flashed the cashier lady a wide smile that made her blush shyly and smile back. Genma rolled his eyes at Raidou and all but pushed him out of the restaurant. After nearly four pounds of steak, Raidou was one happy man.

"That was the best!" Raidou grinned at Genma, stretching his arms behind him and spitting the toothpick in to one of the litter bins on the street.

"You just had to order more cheese didn't you?" Genma wrinkled his nose in distaste.

"Just because you don't like cheese steaks doesn't mean I don't have to either. Besides, you had just about had as much onion rings and fried mushrooms. I just picked cheese." Raidou shrugged and continued walking.

They bickered about the amount of side order dishes the other consumed while taking a detour to buy a new door lock till they reached Raidou's apartment complex. Raidou stomped for the desk and found that K wasn't present either.

"Hey, hey. Did you see this?" Genma asked, motioning for Raidou to approach to where he was standing behind the desk.

"I never noticed it before. All that maintenance ads and water delivery posters must have got in the way." Raidou quirked an eyebrow at the small hand written notice taped to the wall behind the desk.

"Yeah well, neither did I. It says that the elevators are not to be used past eleven o'clock. To respect the other tenants it seems." Genma made a bit of a face as he shifted his needle to the other corner of his mouth. "Ah, that's why. The engines needed to be given a break. Must be a really old elevator."

Raidou gave Genma a funny look. "Engines don't need breaks." Raidou narrowed his eyes to read the notice once again up until Genma pointed out a line. "They turn the engines off at eleven?"

Genma nodded. "And turns it on again at seven. It was due to complaints that they had to put such a rule. Guess you weren't the only one complaining about the noise." Raidou frowned at him. "Though I'm confused. Why are _you_ complaining? You get up everyday at seven anyway."

Raidou looked at the notice and kept re-reading it. "How long does an elevator take to go from the tenth floor to the ground floor?"

Genma raised an eyebrow. "With this building, I suppose two to three minutes. Why?"

Raidou furrowed his brows. "It seems like a very old notice." Raidou fingered the yellowing sides of the paper where the tape was holding it in place.

"So?" Genma sighed. "I still don't know why you're whining about getting up at seven."

"It's not that!" Raidou looked at the elevator, craning his neck a bit to peek from behind the corner of the walls that lead to the elevator corridor. He shifted the small paper bag that held his new door lock and made another face.

"Then? What?" Genma asked, already impatient.

"Well, the clock read three-thirty when I was woken up by the elevator engines." Raidou finally said.

"So someone is violating the rules. Report it. You should have timed the elevator while waiting for it to come up this morning." Genma pulled out his needle flipped it in the air a few times then bit in to it again.

"I suppose so. I didn't have to wait for the elevator. It was already there when I wanted to use it." Raidou shrugged.

Genma just looked at him. "Someone must have been going up and down then. From your floor."

"I don't know. It was nearly four by the time the engines quit." Raidou sighed and made his way to the elevator, Genma right behind him. "And I haven't seen or felt anyone on my floor. I would have."

"You're trained for it. Why don't you just ask?" Genma reasoned. "Ask that kid you told me about. K."

"Haven't seen him." Raidou pushed the sliding doors aside and pressed the tenth button. "Not even the boss that was supposed to come talk to me. They're all busy. I'm just glad I've got a roof over my head."

Genma pushed the doors closed as the elevator engines turned and started pulling them up. "I suppose. Hey, mind if I crash here tonight?"

"I don't mind." Raidou shrugged, grinning a bit. "I can use real company."

Genma snorted. "Real company huh?"

Raidou nodded while watching the floors zip and disappear below. "Yeah. I suppose I just want to feel someone real around me. And not funny noises."

Genma could only watch Raidou stare at the elevator doors, watching as Raidou blinked every now and then before patting the man's shoulders and leaning against the wall.

Raidou smiled a bit before he took notice that the boots he saw the other day was still there.

TBC

Okay, I realize now that this is shorter than the previous two. Will work on it ASAP.

You guys AMUSE me! I love you so much!

Polka Dot – Best wishes on your move. See? Rairai is also going through the same like joo!

Twinkielicious – Uh no. Raidou is no Schizo (no matter how much that amuses me) and no, it's not the whole building that is haunted. Though Dark Water was one of the many inspirations for this fic.

Twinsunleader, Kikoro – ahahahaha! Nyaa try again! I'll give you two prizes (err will think of something). Though it's pretty obvious after this chapter.

Wufeisgirl – well, I hope this chapter erased that confusion away! (hugs)

Ruka-kun – Raidou is a baka. Enough said. He's very close to Genma that he just thinks Genma is putting up an entire buddy-buddy act. I won't say no more about the door locks though (points at chappie above and gives you the peace sign)

Fuhrer, ThyLaSlain – ah, Dark Water is one of the many inspirations for this fic. I feel that ninjas are also normal people – they just have odd jobs and abilities. Still, they're human ne? So I try my best to humanize them as much as possible. (hugs)

Smoking panda – it IS very troublesome. I know lots of people who hates it.

And to the rest who reads this fic, I hope you guys enjoyed it. (looks at hit counts and ish ogling)


	4. Chapter 4

A bit late but I _hope_ to make up for it err somehow.

Enjoy!

**SANITY 4**

Genma started awake the next morning after a disturbing dream. He peered at the bed to find Raidou curled against the wall, still deep in sleep. Earlier the other evening, Raidou had given him an extra futon roll along with pillows and blankets since they both finished fixing the entire house quite late. They were so exhausted that after taking a shower, they both curled under the warm confines of their blanket.

That was when Genma realized that he was wrapped tightly around the blanket given to him. The floor was so cold to sleep on, even with a thick futon. He tried poking Raidou awake after a quick glance at the clock that told him that it was quarter-to-seven in the morning. When Raidou merely mumbled and threw an arm over his head as a reply, Genma let him be. He got up, cleared his futon and went to freshen himself up and find something to eat in Raidou's fridge.

Minutes later, Genma was sipping warm coffee and sinking his teeth in to a cheese sandwich. It was only _then_ did the dream worm its way back to his mind. He always had funny dreams to begin with. Once he remembered dreaming of a dancing kettle. He also remembered dreaming of a sheep buying clothes off a boutique in Konoha. He even dreamed of Raidou asking for advice while prancing in a tutu. So why should his current dream be any different?

It was only a dream of Raidou crying and reaching out.

And Raidou _never_ cries.

Genma pushed it to the back of his head, finishing off his sandwich just as he heard the loud slamming of a door hitting a wall and quick footsteps rushing for the kitchen. Raidou came running in, eyes wide and frightened. Genma was so shocked at the sight of his friend looking like some sort of wild animal that was running from its prison that he didn't notice that due to his shock, he ended up knocking his mug of coffee.

"God! Raidou!"

"I'm sorry I thought you were –" Raidou stopped short and shook his head, rubbing his face with both hands and sucking in a breath.

Genma quickly reached for the kitchen towel and started wiping at the spilled coffee. "You thought I was what?"

Raidou sighed deeply then stood there giving Genma his most confused look. "Strange. I don't remember."

Genma was looking at him while attempting to pick up the broken pieces of the mug that he didn't notice the sharp edge and accidentally cut his finger. Genma let out a hiss and hurriedly shoved the small cut on his finger under the cold tap, the running water staining red briefly before Genma wrapped it in clean tissue and applied pressure.

Genma opened his mouth to say something but Raidou wasn't there anymore.

XXX

Raidou had caught himself staring at the grimace Genma had on his face while nursing his cut finger. He caught himself enjoying the sight of it when he knew he should have helped Genma nurse that cut or practice the common etiquette of giving Genma the first aid kit or a bandage at least. Raidou shakily run a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling very disoriented. He remembered starting awake to the door in the next apartment slamming again. But that's it. Why he dashed for Genma who he _knew_ was in the kitchen, he can't remember.

Sighing, he started to get ready for work. There was adrenalin pumping in his veins that he didn't know why its presence was there. He felt like taking a nice long mission, something that would keep him busy and practice his senses.

Raidou tied his forehead protector and tousled his hair before grinning at himself at the mirror. Genma chose then to peek in through the bedroom door and chuckled at the sight of Raidou tousling his hair.

"I didn't know you messed your hair." Genma was smiling.

Raidou flashed him a wide grin that confused Genma a bit because of its sheer wideness and the exposure of Raidou's teeth; Genma's smile faltered briefly.

"Aren't I cute?" Raidou asked.

Genma raised an eyebrow. "Uh, I guess."

Raidou narrowed his eyes, grin still in place. "What? I don't look cute?"

"Oh geez Raidou. You never gave a damn about vanity. And cute? Hot maybe, but cute?" Genma was confused at the choice of adjective.

"Well, what's wrong with a little vanity?" Raidou looked at the mirror and started rubbing at the scars on his cheek. "Hey, hey, think Shizune can flatten these?"

If Genma looked puzzled earlier he looks plain suspicious now. He gave a shaky laugh. "Right, right, what are you on about now?"

"Surgery! I heard about how facial surgery for scars were quite famous for a while in the Lightning country. Good medics and beauticians they have there. Good with chakra healing and rebuilding too. I mean, Shizune studied right under Hokage-sama right? Bet she can do it?" Raidou was tilting his face this way and that to look at the amount of scarring.

Genma waved his hands about his head and shook his head. "What the hell are you on about?" Genma asked, trying to _understand_ whatever situation he apparently missed while disposing of the broken mug pieces. Raidou gave him the what-are-you-stupid? look. "You're talking about surgery! And your scars? Raidou, those scars are what makes you genuine and all the more attractive!"

Raidou made a face at Genma that made Genma _almost_ do a double take. The younger Jounin never saw such an expression on Raidou's face. "You're one to talk. Well, it does make sense. You're the one all Mr. Smooth in complexion and whatnot."

Genma frowned at the jibe. "That is _not_ fair."

"What and this is?" Raidou demanded, pointing at the scars on his face. "You don't even know what it feels like to be cringed upon when – when you want to pick up someone or something!"

"Nobody cringes at you!" Genma snapped. "My god Raidou!"

"You're one to talk!" Raidou growled back. "No, really! Some support you are."

"Ah – what?" Genma blinked in surprise at the words. "Support? How – I – How can you say that?"

"Oh come of it!" Raidou threw his hands in the air and turned to face the mirror, totally unaffected by the hurt look Genma was now radiating.

"I _am_ supportive! By god, I've stuck with you ever since the beginning! What's wrong with you?" Genma looked like he was kicked in the gut; pained.

"You don't eve understand what it feels like to have a ruined face. I can't expect much from you." Raidou answered quietly.

"I – I didn't know! Look, you never said anything about it before. Why start now?"

Raidou rubbed the scars hard enough to cause him a temporary blush. "Yeah well, I'm tired of this whole thing."

Genma pinched the bridge of his nose, willing the jumbled shock, confusion and dawning facts to straighten itself in his head. "Look, I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me?" Raidou shrugged as reply, rubbing his scars further. "Stop that!"

"Come of it, Genma! I mean, look at me!" Raidou yelled, facing Genma with feral anger that Genma faltered in his ground.

"I am! Stop yelling!"

"Shut up! Look at this face! Who can love such a face? Huh? Who?" Raidou demanded. "You can't even see! You can't see me-me!"

"I can! I am! And can you lower your damn voice?" Genma hissed.

"No, you can't! Stop lying! You're pissing me off!"

"Raidou!" Genma yelled and grabbed the older man, shaking him hard. "Stop it! You're scaring me!" Raidou stopped speaking, falling quiet. "I don't know. I didn't know, all right? I – Help me understand! You know I'll help you! If you really want to talk to Shizune about getting your scars fixed, I'll go with you. I'll talk to her if you're afraid. You have to speak to me! Don't shout! Don't you dare accuse me of not understanding you! Don't you dare call me unfeeling! Or I that don't care! That's a fucking lie!" Raidou dropped his gaze to the floor. "And don't you dare call this – this face unlovable!" Genma grabbed Raidou's chin and shook it lightly. "How would you know when you yourself can't even _see_? Stupid Rai-Rai."

Raidou frowned and brushed Genma's head away, stalking for his cupboard to grab his equipment. "Stop calling me Rai-Rai."

"But you – you call me Gen-Gen anyway." Genma blinked.

Raidou snorted and rolled his eyes as he strapped the kunai holster around his thigh. "Please. You make me sound like the pet hamster of the kid next door." Genma opened his mouth to reply but then shut his mouth instead. "Come on. I'm going to get myself a good mission to work off these nerves." Raidou cracked his knuckles and when Genma continued staring at him, he frowned. "Oh come and move it you oaf."

"Oaf?" Genma sputtered.

"Come on! Come on! Before all the A-classed missions gets cleaned out!" Raidou motioned for Genma to follow like an excited child who was about to get a lot of sweets.

Genma could only follow in quiet surprise at the behavior.

XXX

They got separated when the mission got a bit too messy and agreed to meet at the meeting point, five hundred meters bound south east from the area of what had been a would-be battle field. Genma was leaning against a tree, a small cut on his arm, bruised and tired. The younger Jounin kept himself alert as much as he can in his exhausted state for the appearance of his friend.

It was several long minutes later did Raidou approach the meeting point. The relief that flooded Genma was immense but before the young usually needle-chewing man could take three steps towards Raidou, he stopped short, taking in the sight that was Raidou.

Raidou was covered from head to toe in crimson liquid, normally spiked and fluffy hair hanging limply around his face and neck like strips of maroon leather. His face looked like he got out of a paintball fight and got hit by several red paint balls. The echoing drip-drip sound of the blood trickling down his fingers and hitting the blades of grass below sticky nin sandals for a moment sounded a million times louder than it should have been. The light sound of Genma shuffling his feet broke the silence when Raidou finally shook his hand, sending a spray of red across the trees' trunk that was on either of Raidou's side.

"What – you look horrible." Genma managed to croak out.

"Things got messy." Raidou grumbled, nose crinkling in distaste at the sharp odor of iron the blood seemed to be emitting.

"Yes. I can see that." Genma suddenly felt sick. While he was hungry and tired before, now he seemed more alert and alarmed that he should have been. "You can't walk in to the village looking like that. There's a lake nearby. At least wash off your hands and face. Come on."

Genma lead the way, Raidou quietly following, all the while grumbling about how it would be hard to wash the clothes and how hard it would be to get the sharp smell of blood off it. "I tell you, no amount of fabric softener can make these smell decent. Sheesh. I bet not even those things Kurenai keeps babbling about is going to help. She told me to buy lavender! Lavender smelling fabric softener of _all_ scents! I mean, why couldn't she have said something like – like spring meadows or honey whatever of something? Lavender? Do I look like someone who'd want to smell like lavender?"

Genma chuckled. It was a good thing to have a light conversation despite the near-death mission they just faced. "She meant well."

"She can go play Juliet with Asuma and make him smell like some fucking bouquet of flowers for all I care." Raidou rolled his eyes as he jumped from tree limb to tree limb until Genma hopped down to the clearing that lead to the river.

"Yeah, you're right. Lavender isn't you." Genma managed to smile a bit.

"You bet it's not!" Raidou dived head first in to the water and remained there for a few minutes before emerging out and washing his face clean. "Well, I'll be dripping wet. But at least I don't look like I fell in to a tub of ketchup."

Genma didn't really find the comparison amusing. "No one would want to see you looking like you just came out of a blood bath."

"Literally explains what happened really. Humans bleed too much." Raidou laughed, and waded back to the bank and tried to squeeze water off his clothes without pulling it all off.

"You make it sound so bad." Genma sighed, a small smile still in his lips.

"Well it is. In our field of profession, one can only handle too much laundry and scrubbing you know?" Raidou wriggled his foot in attempt to shake off what water he can with the movement.

It was a bit of relief on Genma's side to find that Raidou was trying to be positive. There is not a ninja who was actually _sane_ who liked being covered and drenched in blood of their targets. It was one thing to enjoy killing and it was most definitely another thing to enjoy bathing in the victim's blood. Not that killing was an enjoyment to either of them. But then again, taking a life of another no matter how easy or difficult tended to haunt one's mind sooner or later. It was a ninja code to not break in the battle field and it was the most crucial code and rule of all. But with so many deaths on one's shoulder, there's no telling when the human's mind decides to conjure up a conscience and question the profession being practiced.

Those who _do_ fall victims to their conscience's war are usually those who die simple quiet deaths; heart attacks being the common factor. It was nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to be frowned upon in general. But in a ninja society, dying in your own bed was disgrace to one's honor. Top priority was dying in service to the village. Nothing came above that.

While Raidou retied his forehead protector, Genma stood there hoping that his best friend's excessive cheerfulness was not one of the early signs that he was breaking.

Life without Raidou was simply something Genma didn't _dare_ consider.

And never did up until that present moment when Raidou looked up at him, smiled and motioned for him to follow back to Konoha.

XXX

Raidou slept like a baby the evening he returned from mission, even if it were merely four hours of sleep. He didn't wake up to the sound of the elevator chains rattling or its loud machine nor did he rouse from his lovely slumber at the sound of the door slamming.

Simply because there were none at all.

A wave of cheerfulness filled Raidou as he sat up from bed to stretch and get ready for the day's work. It was already seven thirty when he padded in to the bathroom and at quarter to eight, he had a sandwich clamped in between his teeth as he closed his front door and made sure it was locked. The elevator was waiting for his use when he rounded the corner. The loud rattling of the chains and hum of the machine didn't bother Raidou all that much like it usually did. When he did reach the ground floor, he was surprised to find a unit from the forensics lab of Konoha's bureaucratic security. Confused and swallowing the last of his sandwich, he made his way to the scene where a group of ANBUs and some Chuunins stood.

Raidou felt the blood drain from his face as he saw the usually clean desk and normally white and yellow notice and flyers pasted on the marble wall stained in a dark rusty color. There were yellow scene tapes running across almost the entire lobby vicinity. Raidou suddenly felt like vomiting his breakfast. He recognized a familiar ANBU mask and approached the apprehensive man.

"What happened?" Raidou asked, eyeing a group of white dressed nins carrying a stretcher outside the lobby to where he can only assume would be either the laboratory or the morgue. If possible, his stomach churned even more.

The hawk-masked ANBU turned to look at him. "Namiashi-san." The ANBU nodded in greeting. "There's been a murder."

"Victim?" Raidou looked around slowly, eyeing very person that was in the lobby.

"They're not sure yet. They can't really tell." The ANBU gestured to the bloody desk. "Body was found all over that area."

"All over?" Raidou paled even further. "Are there any suspects? No one has an idea who the victim is?"

"No suspects as of yet. What the forensics did say when they found the fingers is that it's been cut off. Common weapon. Most probably a kunai."

"F-Fingers?" Raidou felt his knees go weak.

"Forensics can't name the victim. The face couldn't be identified." The ANBU shook his head. "Horrible. They did find some comics and a portable music device besides what looked like half the torso. I couldn't really tell. The poor person was literally scattered all over the desk and floor."

A wave of nausea hit Raidou right then; he had a deep gut feeling on whom that scattered body belonged to. He managed to thank the ANBU for the information and slight fill-up before heading out in a dazed stupor the bright sunshine outside. He walked all the way to Administration building in a slow pace and found Genma waiting for him by the entrance, anxious.

"Where were you? You're half an hour late! We have mission filing to do! I was just about to head to your place! Iruka has been on my ass for being – Raidou?" Genma approached him in a blink and eyed him with worry. "Raidou?"

Raidou gave him a helpless look. "Oh god, Genma. Help me."

Genma dropped the scrolls he was holding and attempted to catch Raidou who sunk on his knees and hurled everything he had in his stomach, his complexion paler than a dead person.

TBC

I wanna thank all of you. I think you might know who the dead person is. I don't think I've scared anyone just yet but that's all right. I uh – nevermind.

Thanks so much for the review and to all those silent readers too. I'm glad to have good readership. Amuse me with your suspicions though. I love hearing from all of you.

Thanks to Polka Dot. Really hun, you and your fics RAWKS my world.

Uhm yeah. That's it I guess. I'm off to type more. Till next time …


	5. Chapter 5

I am an inspired and productive person … lately. Wee me for my generosity. Mwaha!

Enjoy! Me no own Naruto. Me only like to slash Naruto bishies. Me Broke. You no sue.

Mwaha!

**SANITY 5**

Within almost two heart beats, Raidou found himself within the safety of the men's lavatory. His hands shook as he fumbled for the taps of the sink and took long gulps of the cold running water to calm himself. Genma hovered behind him in worry, hands on Raidou's back, rubbing soothing circles. In Raidou's attempt to wolf liquid down, he choked and ended up spitting the liquid in his mouth back in to the white sink.

"That's enough, Raidou." Genma mumbled quietly, reaching out to turn the tap off and leading Raidou to the quiet office in the corner down the hall. It didn't register in Raidou's mind how Genma lead him like one would to a traumatized child towards a chair and sat him down. Raidou stared ahead of him, wondering why he was so affected by a mere death. He saw death nearly everyday since he hit the age of ten. Why would this be any different?

Murder was a mere word in the ears of Konoha's citizens. It wasn't something strange and it wasn't anything new. Children were taught from the age of three on ways to kill and which points in the human body - if hit - would bring more damage and a higher percentage of death.

A hot cup pressed itself slowly against Raidou's trembling fingers as a warm hand covered them, trying to ease the shaking.

"What happened, Raidou?" Genma asked, sitting himself beside the man.

Raidou parted his lips to speak and closed his eyes. The words died away in his throat and instead, he drank some of the tea and didn't speak till he finished half the cup, stomach easing. That was when Raidou realized Genma made him chamomile tea to calm him down rather than regular tea. Raidou _almost_ smiled.

"Forensics department were all over the lobby this morning." Raidou sucked in a deep breath. "Someone was murdered last night. Or early this morning. I don't know. They don't know." Raidou's face melted to that of a pitied and pained expression. "It was a mess, Genma. Blood everywhere. They – They found the body in pieces. _Pieces_."

Genma nodded, trying to look like he understood. "We – We came home pretty late last night. Was there any mess when you reached the lobby?" They had parted ways by the junction that lead to their respective districts.

Raidou remembered seeing a clean lobby, dripping wet and feeling cold as he puttered for the elevator. He remembered staring at the lobby desk and frowning though. He had hoped to find some presence of K so he can ask about the owner and if all was really okay since he moved in. Raidou shook his head.

"I was tired Genma. It was empty as always. Nothing was there. No one was there." Raidou brought a hand up to run a hand through his hair shakily. "I didn't even sense anyone nearby. Didn't hear anyone. I fell asleep so fast."

Genma tried to smile, tried to smirk, but only ended up giving Raidou an almost pitying look. "Raidou, man."

"It's like them powers up there are intent in giving me a hard time." Raidou drained the remains of his tea and leaned against the couch further, suddenly tired. Whatever adrenalin he felt earlier that morning was now no more than a ghost in his system. He was so tired and so exhausted, like he did an entire S-classed mission in one day's time.

"It's all right. Hey, you want me to stay over tonight?" Genma asked, taking the cup and putting it away on a table nearby.

"Will you? Please? It's – I'd really appreciate it." Raidou looked at the floor then buried his face in his hands. "I swear to you Genma, sometimes I have the gut feeling that I'm going crazy."

Genma covered his worry for his friend's trauma with a grin. "Na, that's what I like about you, you know. Crazy little Rai-Rai."

"I thought I told you not to call me by that silly name. I don't happen to have hamster ears or the fluffy tail do I?" Raidou half hissed.

"No. You're not a hamster." Genma grinned and pried Raidou's hands off the man's face, setting them down on the scarred man's lap. "And if you were, I'd buy you off the store immediately. Hey, maybe you can put on hamster ears and –"

Raidou smacked Genma upside the head and got to his face, trying his best not blush as hard as he currently was.

XXX

In the middle of Raidou's academy shift, Iruka came in to whisper to his ear that there were two ANBU officers waiting outside the classroom who wanted to talk to him about the incident found earlier that morning. Iruka was taking his shift for the day and Raidou gave heated glares to the children who were hoping that they would get away with the assignment Raidou was about to give. Raidou was quite surprised when one of the little girls in the front row burst in to tears at the glare he was giving, making him _almost _do a double take.

"Finish exercises eight and nine for tomorrow. Anyone who does _not_ bother to attempt at it will run the field fifty times." Raidou stepped out, ignoring the crying girl in the front row along with all the pale faced children as he slid the door shut.

A boar and leopard masked ANBU was waiting for him in the hallway. "Namiashi-san." The Boar spoke.

"Good afternoon." Raidou dipped his head in greeting.

"We would like to ask you a few questions. Not much of your time." Leopard said.

"Of course." Raidou nodded.

"This way, please." Boar turned and lead the way to an empty room in one of the offices in the third floor.

Once within the quiet and private confines of the office, Raidou suddenly felt the tension ram him down on the shoulders like two large bricks. Sitting in front of two masked humans was never very comforting, especially when said masks were made of porcelain. He sucked in a deep breath a wave of calmness filled him. Raidou blamed it on the tea Genma gave him earlier that day.

"We found transactions that you were one of the tenants of the building." Boar said.

"Yeah I am. I live on the tenth floor, apartment F." Raidou nodded.

"There was no one else within the apartment complex save for you and the victim's body. Most of the tenants were on missions last night, and six of them are on holiday break." Boar leaned against his chair and for a moment looked exhausted like humans do.

"I was _alone_?" Raidou blinked, suddenly feeling cold. He went for nonchalance and quite to his amazement, managed. "I returned from a mission myself last night. I was with my partner, Shiranui Genma. He's in the next building filing reports. I did come back quite late last night from our mission."

"What time would that be?" Leopard asked.

"Around quarter to three. I went straight home. It was still a clean lobby then. The smell of blood wasn't there, that's for sure." Raidou answered quietly.

"Forensics were able to identify the remnants of the body. Kaoru Hoshi. No older than nineteen. Did you know him?" Boar asked.

Raidou nodded. "He was the one who arranged the moving-in papers with me. I've been wanting to speak with him about the owner. I never saw him till –" Raidou found his voice fading.

"We understand." Leopard said, almost sympathetically. "You did not hear anyone or see anything suspicious? We would just like to narrow down everything as soon as possible. Of course, Namiashi-san, you are not a suspect. Forensics found no link that it might be you."

"I will cooperate and help as much as I can, of course. K – K was a good kid." Raidou nodded. "I didn't hear anything. Last night's mission was too long and too tiring. I fell asleep instantly. And no one really used the elevator because I would have woken up if someone did. The machine is not the quietest of all."

Both ANBUs nodded. "Yes. We found out this morning." Boar said.

"Did he suffer?" Raidou asked.

"Forensics concluded that it was a quick death." Leopard answered.

"That's good." Raidou nodded. At least he didn't suffer or feel pain. He was a mere civilian and probably had no chance of fighting off the attacker. Raidou clearly remembered how K couldn't go up ten flights of stairs without stopping to catch a breath.

Whatever the ANBUs asked were routine questions.

Raidou long ago tuned out and merely answered mechanically.

Then he went straight home.

XXX

The door bell of the front door rang while Raidou was asleep. It took a full minute for Raidou to think quickly on who could be visiting him at nine-thirty in the evening. He then remembered that Genma was going to spend the evening over. The doorbell rang again and Raidou quickly shoved the covers to one side and rushed for the front door. He pulled it open and found Genma standing there, pale and tired.

"You all right?" Raidou asked, pulling his friend in and shutting the door.

"Yeah. Just got back from a C-rank mission. I saw the lobby. They've cleaned it but the smell is still there." Genma plopped himself down on a couch as Raidou went to fetch a soda can from the fridge. "Doesn't it disturb you that you're all alone here in the entire complex?" Genma asked slowly as he pulled the ring cap of his soda can.

Raidou frowned. "I found it funny when I heard. But that's their business." Raidou shrugged as he sat down beside Genma, propping his feet up on his small wooden center table. "I don't think whoever did that to K would do that to me?"

Genma gave him a small quiet look, rotating the can in his hand. "How come?"

"I just moved in. I didn't even know K that much. I haven't met the owner. And I don't think I owe anyone money. I don't think I stole anyone's girlfriend." Raidou frowned to himself. "I haven't done anything to warrant the same benefit K got."

Genma looked at the light orange liquid within the can. "Nevertheless, it wouldn't hurt to be careful."

Raidou sighed and rubbed a temple. A throbbing headache was making its way through the back of his head and it was starting to annoy him. "We're ninjas. They've drilled that habit in to our heads since we were three. Of course I'll be careful Genma."

Genma set his now empty can after draining its contents by the center table. "I'm just saying." Genma looked at Raidou, a deep concern look covering his usually smug and charming face. "You've been –" Raidou raised an eyebrow at him. "Nothing. Never mind."

"You annoy me when you do that." Raidou gave him a dark look.

"Do what?" Genma blinked and turned to look him, eyes widening a fraction at the dark look Raidou was giving him. The amount of radiating hatred Genma felt from that look was enough to make him shift in his seat. "Raidou?"

Raidou blinked and instead _pouted_. "Nothing. The _nothing_ part annoys me. Why don't you just speak your mind and say what you want?" The pout was wiped off and a smirk came in its place. "Are you afraid of me?"

Genma hesitated in answering and this only made the smirk widen. Raidou noted that Genma's gaze was not towards his eyes but towards his lips, where it curled up and revealed just a little bit of teeth.

"I don't know. Sometimes." Genma looked away, a blush in his cheeks as he crossed his legs and tried to get comfortable.

Raidou rolled his eyes. "You've got to be the biggest idiot ever."

Genma shrugged. "Yeah, well, maybe you _are_ too."

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Raidou's smirk widened _further_. The whole conversation was amusing him to no end.

"No reason." Genma shrugged.

"You're calling me an idiot and there is no reason?" Raidou asked, no longer amused. The tone in his voice was sharp, commanding. It was the same tone he carried during his ANBU days when he was the captain of one of the interrogation and torture units. "Isn't _that_ idiotic?"

"There are a lot of reasons." Genma tried to smile but ended up looking like he needed to use the bathroom immediately. "Look, forget it."

"No. I won't. Tell me why you think I'm an idiot."

Genma chose that moment to look at Raidou directly in to his eyes and nearly shrunk from the cold look Raidou was giving him. "R-Raidou?"

"I'm waiting, Genma." Raidou said calmly.

Genma felt the blush creep up higher in his cheeks and stood up. "Well, you see I don't know how to say it. Thing is Raidou, I don't _want_ to say it. Not yet at least. I uh – you can say, I am a bit afraid."

Raidou cocked an eyebrow. "You're afraid."

Genma stood up and faced the window, rubbing at the mist gathering at the glass. He absent mindedly started drawing stick figure doodles on the mist before rubbing it away. "Yeah. I – well, we all have fears right?"

"I don't." Raidou leaned further in to the couch, eyes still on Genma. "What's there to be afraid of? Death? No, I'm not afraid of that. I've seen and done too many to be afraid to die. Loss? What have I got to lose? I have nothing else. Money isn't an issue. Well maybe it was till I hit the legal age, but now it isn't. What's there to be afraid of?"

Genma opted to stare at the evening sky outside. "There's more to life than just death, loss and money." Genma rubbed an arm that was starting to get goosebumps from the cold. Genma was literally starting to get cold feet. One thing he disliked about the apartment Raidou rented was the floors; ceramic. Even though the white-streaked blue tiles did indeed look attractive, it was a miserable thing because it kept the apartment _cold_. Winter, would no doubt, be hell. "You said so yourself remember?"

Raidou blinked. "I did?"

Genma smiled a bit sadly. "Yeah, once." Particularly around the time Raidou got his facial scars. "That was a long time ago. But never mind that."

Raidou's frowned deepened. It was now a full pledged scowl. "You sound as if you can't trust me."

Genma shook his head. "It's not that I can't trust you. Believe me, I trust you more than anyone. You know I have no family to go back to. I'm –" Genma turned to look at Raidou and found himself pressing against the window from the scowl Raidou was directing at him. Genma just had to glance at his toes to see if they've turned blue from the cold. "I'm afraid. That's all."

"You're afraid." Raidou laughed. "You're not making sense, do you know that?"

Genma tried to shrug and ended up sighing instead. "Yeah. I figured."

"Are you going to tell me or not?" Raidou asked, and it sounded more like a threat rather than a question.

Genma stared at Raidou for the longest time, a wave sadness filling him. _That_ is the reason he found Raidou an idiot. Raidou couldn't even _see_ what Genma was trying to say, even though he was one of the smartest men in the Jounin rankings. "Maybe, when the day comes and I'm no longer afraid, I'll tell you." Genma smiled sadly, hurt-like.

For a moment, Raidou gave Genma his most helpless look. Just like it came for a flicker of a second, it was gone. Raidou smirked then nodded. "I'll just have to wait then. Though Genma," Raidou stood up and picked up the can from the table and headed for the kitchen, voice nothing but a whisper. "If you take too long, I might no longer be here."

Genma didn't realize he was holding his breath until Raidou rounded in to the kitchen. "That's what I'm afraid of."

TBC

I love my nins going nuts! Mwahahaha…

Err yeah. There. Hmm … review no jutsu?


	6. Chapter 6

**SANITY 6**

That night, Genma was forced to take the bed. Raidou would hear none of his excuses and when Genma got a little too stubborn about the matter, Raidou just pinned him down on the bed with a strength Genma never knew the older man possessed and wrapped the blanket around him. Genma could only mutely stare up at Raidou with a blush that rivaled Hyuuga Hinata's.

"Now shut up and go to sleep!" Raidou stood up, laid the futon out on the floor next to the bed, and tucked himself in.

A long moment of silence passed and Raidou found himself staring at the ceramic floor, back facing the bed. It was when he heard Genma shift and then the sound of sheets rustling that he rolled over a little to find the younger man curled tightly in a ball with the blanket wrapped equally tight around his slender frame. Raidou stared in confusion for a while before he prodded Genma's back with a finger.

"What?" Genma asked voice low and whispered.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Genma answered, pulling the blanket tighter around himself. "Go back to sleep."

"Fine." Raidou shrugged and lay on his back. It was when the sound of Genma's even breathing reached his ears that Raidou stood up, grabbed his own blanket, and draped it over Genma. Just as Raidou was releasing his hold, Genma grabbed his wrist.

"You're awake." Raidou blinked.

"Take it back, please," Genma said, not wanting to move from the warm, secure ball that he'd made of himself under his own blanket.

"You're shivering like a wet kitten. I don't know why. The temperature in here is actually pretty warm, pleasant, even. Are you coming down with something?" Raidou tried to peer at Genma's face, who tried to shrink under the hem of the loose shirt Raidou had lent him.

"I think it's the floors. I'm not very used to ceramic floors," Genma said. It was actually partly true, but the argument was dense.

"I'm on the floor. Not you. And it's really quite nice. You're taking my blanket and if you argue, I'll gag you," Raidou threatened and left his own blanket over top of Genma. After experiencing Raidou's strength earlier, Genma didn't take the jibe lightly. He nodded silently and just pulled the extra blanket closer to himself while Raidou settled himself back on the futon.

Longer minutes of silence passed.

"Raidou?"

"Hmm?"

"Anko – Anko asked me out earlier today." Genma said, voice sounding very hesitant.

"Yeah?" With Raidou's back to Genma, the younger Jounin couldn't see the frown that crossed his face.

"Yeah. I – do you think I should give it a try?" Genma asked, and it was quite a miracle Raidou heard him.

"You're a grown man, Genma; shouldn't that be your decision? I can't and won't stand in your way." Raidou was glaring hard at the ceramic tiles of the floor.

"I – I just – you're right. I was only hoping for an opinion."

"I have none."

Genma felt a sharp pang of disappointed hurt fill him; it was almost choking. "Okay."

"Go to sleep, Genma," Raidou said quietly, closing his eyes.

A few minutes of silence passed by.

"I was hoping you'd say no," Genma whispered.

But Raidou was already asleep.

XXX

Raidou woke up at seven o' clock, sharp. His eyes opened mechanically as he shifted to fold up his futon and store it in the corner of the room. He turned to look at Genma who was huddled facing the wall, hands stuffed under his pillow. Raidou couldn't resist rolling his eyes at the position his friend slept in. He let him be and went about getting ready for work. When he was dressed and leaving the room, Genma was still asleep. He brewed a pot of coffee, left some for Genma, and then headed out of the apartment. Genma would lock up when he left.

With a sandwich clenched between his teeth, Raidou headed for the administration building, intent on taking a long mission that would keep him away from the village for a while. He felt annoyed that morning, particularly when he saw Anko's head pass by one of the windows talking to Kurenai and chewing on a dango stick.

In the mission room, Iruka greeted him cheerfully. "Good morning, Raidou-san."

"Good morning, 'Ruka-sensei." Raidou greeted, giving the cheerful chuunin a charming smile which earned him a blush. "Got any nice, long missions?"

Iruka kept smiling and blushed a bit more at the smug, handsome smirk Raidou was directing at him. "Yes, in fact I have three A-class missions and one S."

"S-class. Talk to me." Raidou leaned against the desk on one hand and listened to the Chuunin's briefing of the mission. It didn't sound too difficult. An S-class criminal wanted for stealing dangerous biological substances from the pharmaceutical laboratory of one of the biggest hospitals in the Fire Country. It was said that the missing-nin from the Mist village was gathering his own underground forces and poisoning a sector of the Fire Country's water supply. Mist had lost too many men trying to catch the criminal and was passing the ball to Konoha.

"I think, Raidou-san, you'll need at least a three –"

"I'll take it solo."

Iruka looked horrified. "W-What? But Raidou-san –"

Raidou leaned in closer, raising an eyebrow at Iruka. "You think I can't do it?"

Iruka shook his head, "But Raidou-san!"

"Assign it to me. I'll bring the bastard's head back if you want me to." Raidou smiled, eyes crinkling cutely. "Please, Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka was hesitating. The mission would at least require two Jounins. Even someone as strong as Gai or Kakashi wouldn't go alone. "I – I just don't want to –"

"I'll come back alive." Raidou tapped at Iruka's forehead protector. "I'm leaf, remember?"

"Raidou-san." Iruka frowned in worry.

"Sign it. Put my name down. Give me a week, two maximum. If I'm not back in two weeks, well, a nice funeral would be appreciated. No white flowers. I hate white flowers. Yellow would be nice. Those dark ones. Nearly honey-gold? You know that type? Yamanaka has it." Raidou smiled a bit more, and the blush on Iruka's face only intensified as the chuunin nodded. "All right, Iruka-sensei?"

"You have to promise to at least –"

"I'll come back alive. You'll see. My death, which is unlikely, will not be put on your shoulders, Iruka-sensei." Raidou leaned closer. "So, are you going to give it to me or not? Don't trust me?"

Iruka took a moment but after a few minutes of pondering he signed the mission release paper and wrote down the standard information: the shinobi's name, the date, and the time of dispatching the mission scroll. "Please take care, Raidou-san."

"I'll bring you a nice souvenir, Iruka-sensei." Raidou saluted with a finger. "Give Genma word that I'll be gone. No details. That oaf is going to try to follow me and I don't want that. Two weeks, Iruka-sensei."

When Iruka blushed – redder if that was possible, and started resembling an over-ripe berry – Raidou laughed, winked, and went off to prepare for his mission.

XXX

Genma started awake after a dream filled with hot flames and loud, animalistic shrieks. Genma looked around Raidou's sunlit bedroom and found the futon folded in a corner. His knuckles were white from the death grip he had on Raidou's blanket. A glance at the clock told him it was already eight thirty.

"Goddamn it." He pushed himself off the bed and shivered as his toes came into contact with the cold floor. Genma wrapped his arms around himself to ward the chill off and let out a shuddering breath as he headed for the bathroom to clean himself up and get ready for work. He found the house devoid of Raidou's presence, but he couldn't help but move double time as he got ready. He didn't even touch the frigid coffee, just locked the door behind him and made a wild dash for the stairs, completely ignoring the elevator that was waiting for his use in the corner.

Genma found his feet quickening as he descended the stairs; his instincts screaming at him to move as quickly as he could. Once he passed by the last landing on the fifth floor, he heard the loud slams of doors beyond the fire escape exit and had to stare at the swinging wooden door for what could have only been four seconds, though it felt like four minutes before his feet carried him on down the flight as fast as they could move. In almost two blinks, Genma was zipping through the crime scene in the lobby and heading straight for the administration building.

He didn't look back, didn't want to look back and dared not to look back.

Once within the safe confines of the Administration building, he headed straight for the mission desk with the hope of finding some sort of light mission to handle. He found Iruka dutifully doing his work in writing down a list for the Hokage to review later.

"G-Good morning, 'Ruka-sensei," Genma said, a shiver running down his spine even though he was slightly warmed up from his quick run.

"Genma-san! Good morning!" Iruka greeted happily, beaming. "Ah yes, Raidou-san told me –"

"He was here?" Genma looked up sharply at Iruka.

"Uh – well – umm, yes he was." Iruka smiled sheepishly. "I think he's left the village alrea –"

_"Left the village!"_ Genma nearly yelled, glaring at Iruka.

"Genma-san!"

"Whe – But – Goddamnit, where did he go?" Genma demanded, fists balled tight and resting threateningly beside Iruka's hands on the desk. If Genma were to lose his temper, he could easily crush the Chuunin's hands with a single blow.

Iruka frowned. "Please lower your voice, Genma-san. Raidou-san's status is now on away due to the S-class –"

_"S-class?"_ Genma stared widely at Iruka, knees going weak.

"Yes, Genma-_san_, an S-class mission. It should take a minimum of one week for Raidou-san to apprehend the target and destroy –"

"Why in fuck's name did you give him an _S-class mission? He'll kill himself!_" Genma hissed, voice dangerously low and eyes narrowed, his anger focused solely on Iruka.

Iruka stood his ground. "He _asked_ for it, Genma." All respect was gone from the Chuunin's tone. One really couldn't blame Iruka. It was a fine morning and everything was going pleasantly, so having a cranky Jounin bicker and hiss in his face was something Iruka most certainly did not appreciate. "I was against it of course."

_"Then why the fuck did you give it to him?"_ Genma banged a fist on the table.

Iruka glared. "Shiranui-san, if you continue with such language in my presence, I will be forced to assign you D-rank missions for the entire week. If you had an argument with Raidou-san, that is none of my business." Genma opened his mouth to retort but Iruka held up a hand, effectively keeping Genma quiet. "I warned Raidou-san of the dangers and made him aware how skilled the target is. He knows all the mission's drawbacks, but Raidou-san was _confident_ that he will have no problem completing the mission _by himself_ without the assistance of a team or a partner; and I did warn him against that. He is a stubborn man."

"He charmed his way, didn't he?" Genma grumbled.

"Raidou-san is confident of his skills. _You_ should be too." Iruka glared. "I have faith in Raidou-san, and of course I am worried about giving such a high class mission to a single person. But he is sure of himself. He has the skills. We can only hope that he comes back alive." Iruka sounded a little guilty, but the Chuunin tried to look confident.

Genma tried to calm down his breathing. "Fine. Where did he go?"

"I'm sorry, but that information is classified unless the Hokage states other wise." Iruka looked firm and was set on following that rule even if Genma decided to get violent. "You should know that."

"He could be flinging himself off a rocky cliff as we speak!" Genma said hotly; why such a thing came out of his lips, he didn't know.

Iruka gave him a resigned look. "I can see why he called you an oaf."

_"Oaf?"_ Genma sputtered.

"Look, he left the village about twenty minutes ago. He will take one week. He said if he does not return by the second week, then it will be the Hokage's decision to send reinforcements or not. Until then, I suggest we all stay put and give Raidou-san a little credit for his skills as a shinobi. That, Genma-san, includes _you_." Iruka spoke in the same tone that he used when lecturing unruly six year olds. "Raidou-san asked me to inform you that he'll be gone. But now you know that, so what else can I do for you, Genma-_san_?" Iruka smiled.

"You can start by shoving your foot down your throat," Genma grumbled, put out, annoyed, and worried for his best friend. What in the world made Raidou take an S-classed mission? And alone at that. Iruka heard the jibe and glared. "What do you have?"

Iruka grinned cheekily and all too cheerfully. "It just so happens, Genma-san, that the last three A-class missions were taken by Iwashi-san, Kakashi-sensei and Asuma-sensei. I do, however, have a C-class one over here. Nothing else, unless you wish to take a D-class."

Genma rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. What's the mission?"

"Hmm – ah, you have the deliver the imported security bull dog from the Fire country to the Sand village. Be sure to bring lots of dog biscuits it says." Iruka rolled the scroll, put Genma's name down without even asking whether he'd take it or not. "The Hokage will expect a good report. Good luck on your mission, Genma-_san_!"

"Stingy bastard." Genma took the scroll and waltzed out of the mission room, leaving a very smug Chuunin behind him.

That was the day Genma swore to every deity and level of Heaven that he hated dogs with a passion.

TBC

Ha ha!

This was beta-ed by The Curtain. Yes yes, that's her nickie here in Very nice person. Has funny stuff. Go see!

Now, I've re-read the rules and really, there's nothing about replying to reviews within a chapter that is prohibited. But just to be on the safe side, I'll not mention names but just mention points.

- The house is funny. Yeah, I surprised myself after reareading. Don't you just love doors?

- Raidou is fine IMO.

- Genma needs love, yes, yes. I'll remedy that ... somehow.

- I love the apartment! Isn't it pretty! Ha!

- No fight-club skitzo here. Sorry (sticks tongue out and bounces away)

- And I love crazy nins! I love making them bananas! That's the whole point! Ohohohoho

Okay, I think that covers most of it. Uh if I replied much to questions/ponderings, I'd give the story out. Ha ha ha

Okay, signing off! Till next time people!


	7. Chapter 7

**SANITY 7**

Raidou felt the adrenalin pump in his veins. It's been flowing for the past week with the strength of the river rapids and if it weren't for that, he would have collapsed somewhere and withered to death. Sheer adrenalin kept him on his feet after nights of sleeping in tree tops, caves, muddy ground and living on wild berries and fruits of the forest. Ten days of no proper food or proper sleep was taking its toll on Raidou and he looked almost as pale as Kakashi's complexion. His uniform was loose compared to the time he left the village, eyes sunken in and cheekbones more defined.

Raidou concealed his charka as he pasted the last explosion tag on the ceiling of the cave that was hidden under a lake within the borders of the Water country. It took Raidou three days to find their hideout and another four to study the routes and all possible entrance and exits. It then took him another three to set up his traps. Judging from the gang's movement, there was a rough estimate of twenty-eight gang members. They've been quiet as of late, only coming out of their hide outs to buy supplies from the local village, but other wise remained hidden.

To Raidou, it tickled his innards to be at such a lucky standing.

Tying the last wire that would trigger the trap, Raidou gave the lake a wide smirk and retreated to the farthest tree, crouching on a high branch. In less than thirty minutes, two guards with a cart unloaded the goods and supply to the small entrance under a huge tree. Raidou waited till the secret door closed.

"Lock." Raidou tugged on one edge of the four wires wounded around two of his fingers as heavy weights slid in to all the entrances, effectively blocking it. "Seal." By channeling charka to the strings, it gave the weights a more secure touch so that everything stays within and nothing or no one comes out. "Trigger." Raidou tugged all five wires in his other hand and released the eight other kunais he embedded on the tree bark. There was a collective snapping of wires and sharp tinking noises sounding off in the quiet night. Raidou waited for three minutes before pulling the last three strings in his other hand, and channeling charka through it, eyes turning to look at the river. A wide grin spread over Raidou's face. "Boom."

The still surface of the lake started to bubble and soon the surfaces erupted in to semi-muted explosion. The banks were drenched and whatever rocks that lined it was washed away from the force of the ground shaking under the impact of the almost one hundred exploding tags Raidou planted all over the hide out. One exploding tag could take down a circumference area of about one hundred meters and its sheer force can kill all forest life within that range. Raidou couldn't help but inwardly chuckle at what one hundred of them can do.

As soon as the lake gave one last loud eruption like an active volcano, Raidou released all the wires he wound around his fingers and watched as the lake slowly started to calm. Raidou leaned against the trunk, watching as the water started to stain gray from the soot and ashes of the remains of what once an elaborated hide out that took time to model and made fit for living.

To see such a complex underground structure in pieces and dust floating about a rippling lake, Raidou couldn't help but laugh out loud at the irony and pitiful sight those shinobis and their head quarters made right now. Raidou got back to his feet and started walking calmly back towards Konoha, while sending a messenger bird for Hunter nins to clear the mess up. Not that there would be any bodies to take care off, but the lake will have to be cleaned with whatever jutsus Hunter nins are given training in so that they may restore nature back after having a wide range hunt or battle. That was probably why Konoha still had a forest in the first place.

Raidou left the fate of the lake to the hunters; in his mind, he idly wondered if Genma took Anko's date offer.

XXX

When Raidou woke up the next morning, it was to the sound of the crows gathered by his window. Raidou had no clue what time he returned the other night, but judging as to how he slept through out the entire morning and nearly all of the afternoon, it must have been pretty late. A loud groan escaped his lips as he shifted in bed, running his hands up and down his chest, feeling the bump of bones when they weren't supposed to be present.

Raidou recalled that he already wrote the mission report the other evening before falling asleep. The fact still remained that he still had to soak himself in a hot tub then probably burn the sheets he was lying on. What usually took a few minutes to decide on dragged to an hour. Later, Raidou was dressed, sheets changed and was looking for his sandals.

"Ha. Where did it go? Where did I throw it last night?" Raidou grumbled, searching his entire living room area, bathroom and bedroom corners for the location of his sandals. When he found no sign of it in his entire house along with the apartment corridor, Raidou was forced to conclude that someone stole his sandals. "Sheesh. Why didn't they take my drawer of underwear while they're at it? Had to take my sandals of all things. It was my only favorite pair too." Raidou grumbled as he pulled on a pair of old house flip-flops and tucked his mission-report envelope under one arm as he made his way for the elevator.

Raidou started grumbling about high-stamina thieves who took the stairs instead of the elevator because it was waiting for his use as always. Raidou waited, unhindered by the loud rattling of the machine before starting to walk for the mission-administration building. Some of the off-duty shinobis exiting the perimeter dropped him a greeting or two before glancing down at his feet and sparing him a wondering look. Raidou didn't bother answering them. Then again, it was a comical sight to find a special-Jounin, worn from mission, with a reputation and the uniform to come to work in house-slippers.

Raidou just _happened_ to own a pair of bright yellow ones.

When Raidou saw Genma running down the hall towards him, he held his hand up in a halt-sign and then slammed the mission door room at Genma's face. Raidou couldn't help but grin at the look of sheer shock - and probably hurt - Genma had all over his handsome face, and in the end, Raidou chuckled. He did his standard handing-in mission reports _then_ headed back out to find Genma still waiting for him.

"Are you –" Genma opened his mouth to speak only to stop when Raidou raised his hand again.

"I don't even _want_ to hear anything from you about the mission. I know you're mad. I know you're pissed, annoyed or whatever. But no. Please. I don't need more headache." Raidou said, then spared Genma a look. If Raidou didn't know better, he'd think Genma looked like he was going cry. "How have you been?" Genma didn't reply. "I asked you a question, so answer it!"

"Fine." Genma answered and swallowed. "Raidou, why did you –"

"What did I just say right now?" Raidou frowned.

"It's not a joking matter!" Genma snapped. "Why? Why did you go alone? Why didn't you even tell me?"

Raidou caught the pleading tone for an explanation in Genma's voice. "Must I tell you everything?"

Genma looked like he was kicked in the groin. "It's none of my business." Genma looked at the floor and noticed Raidou's slippers. "What – Why are you wearing –"

"Sandals got stolen."

Raidou watched Genma stared at him with a look of disbelief. Konoha's nin-sandals were the cheapest in the market. Hearing one's sandals got stolen was a joke on its own. "Stolen." Genma would have laughed only he looked even more disturbed that he previously did.

"Yeah. You can laugh you know?" Raidou raised an eyebrow, folding his arms across his chest.

"No. It's not funny." Genma looked away.

"Oh? I've been hearing snickers the whole walk from home till here and you're saying it ain't funny. You okay?"

Genma looked at Raidou. "Raidou, I – uh –" Genma swallowed.

"What?" Raidou blinked, concern coming to his face.

Genma hesitated and then he shook his head, offering Raidou a smile. "Never mind. It's nothing."

"Genma, how many times –"

"I've – I've been worried about you. That's all. I – I'm sorry, it's just that I haven't been getting much sleep." Genma turned away a bit and rubbed at his temple to ward the headache away.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you apologize too much?" Raidou frowned, thwapping Genma upside the head.

"I –"

"Shut up. Now, why don't you be a nice person and – Genma!" Raidou took a step back when he found Genma wrapping an arm around him possessively. Raidou looked around the hall they were in and was glad there was no presence nearby because Genma was too _close_ for comfort and the fact that he couldn't see the younger man's face made it more difficult.

"Welcome home."

"Genma." Raidou was overwhelmed by the sudden warmth that flowed in him, and was about to just return the hold when Genma moved back, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'll treat you for a job well done! And for getting home in one piece! Anything you want!" Genma looked so happy that Raidou simply _couldn't_ find it in himself to say no. He wanted to spend time with Genma, wanted to feel that warmth again, but it excited him to see that smile wiped off; completely off.

"No, thanks. I gotta go clean up my mess at home."

Genma's face fell and Raidou couldn't stop the slight upward curve of his lips. Genma had to blink and realize that he was just put down via the hard way. "Oh."

"You know, I'm _not_ interested." Raidou said, giving a small shrug.

"Then, just for tonight, come spend it over at my place!" Genma said.

"What?" Raidou blinked staring, just as Genma grabbed him by the arm.

"Please? Just for tonight! You don't look well, you're pale and you're thinner! And your house is so cold! What if you –"

"What do you mean by _it's so cold_?" Raidou asked icily. "It's fine! I even slept shirtless last night!"

"Raidou! You're not listening to me!"

"And I don't see why I should! Get off me!" Raidou jerks his arm off Genma's grip, the force making Genma step back. "How can you even say that? Some friend you are!"

"Raidou!"

"I'm not going to get raped by some wall insect nor am I going to turn to an ice block! What's wrong with you?" Raidou glared, clearly angry. His entire face contorted with so much bitterness that Genma felt the words vanish in his throat. "Stop this nonsense. Instead of begging me to go sleep over, why don't you just go and ask Anko? She seems willing."

"How can you say that?" Genma asked bitterly. "When you turn blind eyes to everything around you, how can you say that?" Genma kept his eyes away from Raidou's face, moving to walk past him.

"How can I not? When your best friend starts acting insane, what am I supposed to do? What can I do? Do you know how strange it is for you to come and act like some skittish cry-baby in front of me just because you can't take a jibe or two?" Raidou frowned.

"Is it so wrong to worry for you?" Genma asked quietly.

"I just want you to give me more credit. So I took an S-classed mission. So what? But this isn't just about the mission is it? It's not even about me anymore. It's all about _you_. Always _you_!" Raidou hissed, eyes narrowing further.

"So that's how it is huh?" Genma said, resigned. "That's how you want it to be?"

"Do you know how I want it to be?" Raidou asked, raising an eyebrow. "Do you even know anything about me?"

Genma gave him the longest assessing look Raidou ever felt from a long time. Raidou could see somehow that Genma was falling apart from the inside for it was mirrored the honey-depths of his eyes. There was a look of searching desperation in Genma's face then came defeat.

"No." Genma smiled sadly; it snapped a chord inside Raidou to see that expression. "I don't anymore. Sorry." Genma started walking down the hallway, away from Raidou.

"Better that way." Raidou said with his back to Genma's retreating form, his smirk melting away. "Won't hurt more in the end right?"

If Genma heard, he showed signs of doing so. Raidou didn't expect a reply from Genma and continued walking the opposite direction.

XXX

Raidou spent the rest of the day doing Academy duties and made three kids in his class cry tears of fear because he was being 'too strict'. He didn't appreciate the fact that the three top students were mere cry babies. He gave them the simple blind eye and continued with his lessons. The children, afraid of being put down, listened and simply gave everything their all.

Raidou had to smirk at them at the end of the day along with his, "Good work."

He was about to call it a day and head home when he saw Anko walking down the street tugging Genma by the hand towards the local dango store. For a brief moment, their gazes held and Raidou found himself feeling envy bubbling in him like an ugly monster. For a single fleeting moment, he hoped with all his heart that Anko would drop dead. He prayed that Genma would suffer; a look of horror fell on Raidou's face at the thoughts that went through his head, just as he turned away from Genma's worried look and removed himself from the area as quickly as possible.

He didn't even take the waiting the elevator in the lobby and instead took the stairs. He reached the top floor completely out of breath. Locking the door behind him, he ran for his bedroom and slammed the door shut, hiding under his blanket.

The shock of having ill feelings towards his best friend was too much for him to handle.

Raidou cried silently over the greed and anger that over took him when he didn't notice. Silent gasping apologies left his mouth repeatedly until he fell asleep from the still present shock.

The next day, when he looked for Genma to apologize, he found out that his best friend had gone on a group mission with Anko, Gai and Kakashi.

XXX

Raidou spent the next few early evenings in his apartment after duty, lying on his bed, curled up against the wall and brooding after his usual consumption of steaks. He debated on taking another long mission but decided against it. Raidou didn't notice that he had fallen asleep up until he felt the cold air brushing against his bare arms. Shivering awake, Raidou found the balcony window in his living room open from his bedroom doorway. The fluttering curtains made him blink awake and push the covers aside and pad for the living room while he rubbed at a sleepy eye.

"I don't remember leaving the balcony door open." He grumbled, feeling one side of the wall for the light switch and flicking it on.

Raidou moved towards the balcony window and gathered the fluttering curtains in one arm as he reached forward to slide the glass doors shut. He moved his feet to gather his balance and inhaled sharply as he shuddered from the cold; that was when he felt his head stop and take in the smell. He shifted his footing once more and felt cold stickiness beneath his toes and heels. Frowning, Raidou glanced down at the source of stickiness and his eyes widened when he saw the red blotchy mess on his clean tiles.

For a single fleeting moment, Raidou felt his heart in his throat. He eyed the red blotches, willing it to disappear and forcing himself to find the source of the illusion or dream because his eyes were following the trail-mess. White knuckled hands went lax as Raidou saw a pair of sandals by his balcony, red, messy and with one of the hidden buckles on the left sandal looking like it's been super-glued in place. Raidou remembered that incident because the small bite mark of the mutt that bit his left foot was still there. He remembered the trouble of gluing the buckle back in place.

Raidou's breaths came out fast and heavy as he continued eyeing the bloodied sandals on his balcony step. "If that's – " Raidou looked down the opposite side of his house and found his newly bought sandals on the doorstep, right where he left it that afternoon when he got back from work. A strangled noise crawled out of Raidou's mouth as he found himself stumbling back away from the balcony doors. The cold night winds kept blowing in, causing the curtains to fly and sway, giving Raidou a clearer look of the bloodied sandals.

He had no idea how long he remained standing in the same spot or whether he even moved or not; the only thing Raidou remembered was covering his mouth in fear and falling to the ground.

XXX

There was a loud banging noise that startled Raidou from his sleeping position on the floor. With a strangled throaty noise, Raidou shoved himself off the ground so fast that the sudden change of height made him reel with vertigo and lean against the wall. The banging noise resumed and Raidou turned to look at the door and realize that someone was knocking loud and urgently.

Panicking, he quickly glanced back at his floor and balcony door to find the door shut and the floor clean. He parted the curtains, in his panic nearly jerking the curtain rod off its mount, only to find the balcony step clean and bloodless. There were no sandals, nor was there any of the mess he remembered seeing the other night.

Raidou felt his heart ease back to its normal rate as he quickly rushed for the door, pulled the bolts free and swung the door open.

There was no one standing outside.

XXX

Raidou left his apartment almost immediately. He didn't know what made him take the stairs instead of the elevator but he did so and made a wild dash for hospital to ask Shizune for some strong sleeping pills and to help him with his fatigue and stress. He trusted the woman's healing and medical knowledge, so he prayed that she'd be able to help.

He had to wait for a few minutes before Shizune met with him in a small examination room.

"You look horrible." Shizune said. "Was that the reason you applied for sick leave two days ago?"

"Two days ago? Sick leave?" Raidou blinked, completely missing the point.

"Yes. You were ill or something roughly two days ago, so you asked for a leave. You probably don't remember since you couldn't keep awake the whole time. Iruka mentioned to me. Have you been getting any rest?" Shizune frowned, taking note of Raidou's pale complexion and the slightly bloodshot eyes.

"I –" Raidou kicked back to the night he woke up feeling cold and finding the mess by his balcony. "I remember fainting."

Shizune's eyebrows shot up. "Fainting?"

"I was dizzy." Raidou rubbed his temples. "Look, I think I've been sleep walking or something. I've been having uneasy sleep and dreaming of things that I shouldn't."

"Like what?" Shizune asked, wondering how simple nightmares can bring Raidou down so much. When Raidou looked away and remained quiet, Shizune knew better than to prod further for information that he clearly didn't want to dish out. "I can prescribe you some pills, it might help. Have you been eating well?"

"Yeah. Two pounds of steaks for lunch." Raidou answered quietly.

"Then I must wonder why you're so pale." Shizune took out a thermometer, stethoscope and pen light to check up on Raidou's vitals. When she was done, she gave him a small smile. "You've been stressed out haven't you? How many missions have you done this week?"

"What rank?" Raidou asked.

"A or S?"

"None." Raidou shook his head. "Mediocre B's and C's. Sometimes D's and I teach at the Academy occasionally."

Shizune nodded and scribbled on a prescription pad and handed the paper to Raidou. "Try to unwind for now. I've given you eye drops to cool the redness of your eyes."

"Thanks." Raidou nodded, looking at the prescription. "Those sleeping pills?"

"Mild ones. For at least this week, I suggest laying low on the missions for a little longer and getting eight hours of sleep every day." Shizune smiled. "You should be fine if you keep that up."

Raidou nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Don't over work yourself!" Shizune chided in a sisterly fashion.

"Won't." Raidou just had to grin as he headed for the door. "Oh, is Genma back yet?"

Shizune blinked and nodded. "Yes. He's with Anko in ward four. He came back two days ago, Raidou. Didn't he tell you?"

Raidou blinked. "No. I didn't hear anything from him."

"Well, I saw him about twenty minutes ago heading for Anko's room. He might still be there." Shizune smiled again.

"Oh. No, that's okay. I'll catch him later." Raidou shrugged, tucking the prescription paper in to his pocket. "What happened to Anko anyway?"

Shizune frowned then gave a little shrug. "One of Kakashi's summons went berserk and just jumped her. She's got gashes all over her arms and neck. It's a miracle that big dog didn't break her neck."

"Kakashi's nin dogs?" Raidou gaped.

"Shocked huh?" Shizune sighed. "So was Kakashi; everyone was. It was funny because no one else got bitten or attacked. It was just Anko. Maybe dogs hates snakes?"

Raidou shrugged, feeling great sympathy for Anko. "Perhaps."

"Why don't you say hello? I'm sure she'd be happy you dropped by." Shizune offered him a reassuring look.

"Yeah." Raidou nodded, feeling numb all of a sudden. "Maybe when she's not busy with Genma, I'll drop by a greeting."

Raidou turned to leave the room, not looking at Shizune's puzzled expression as he headed to the mission room to help man the desk.

TBC

Numerous apologies for being late. This chapter was actually written nearly two weeks ago but uh … well something popped up.

In any case, this was self-beta-ed. A proper beta-ed version of chapter 1 will be up soon once I'm done with arranging the format.

Uh yeah … there we go.

Laters!


	8. Chapter 8

I no own Naruto. This is just me being … silly.

Nya!

**SANITY 8**

Raidou's day passed by in a daze. At some point, he grew irritable with everything that went on around him. People kept away from him as the day went on, being the storm cloud that he was. Raidou couldn't care less. He couldn't even remember why he was angry in the first place. Sometime during his class' recess, he found himself seated comfortably in one of the couches in the staff lounge, looking out the window. Raidou felt a nagging feeling growing with every passing moment deep inside him. He didn't like having to worry about things that didn't require his concern; particularly when he didn't know what the root of his concern was.

He didn't even notice the entrance of his colleagues until he heard the soft purring of a cat beside his feet. Blinking, he found a fluffy gray and white cat brushing its tail against his leg. That was when he noticed that Iruka, Genma and Kakashi had walked in to the room.

"How did your mission go?" Raidou asked, reaching down to pick up the cat that behaved and settled on his lap immediately, turning its furry squashed-looking face at Genma.

Genma was silent for a moment. Only when Raidou looked up to acknowledge Genma did a reply manage to come out from Genma's dry lips.

"It was successful." Genma said, swallowing.

Iruka quickly excused himself, approaching to take the cat. "Uh –"

"A stray cat, isn't she?" Raidou said, looking up and smiling at Iruka softly. "No home? You were wondering if there was anyone who'd like to take her in?"

Iruka blinked. "Yes." A frown came to the Chuunin's face as Kakashi and Genma exchanged looks.

"I'll keep her. Friendly isn't she?" Raidou said, stroking the cat's back.

Silence came upon the three as they all blinked while Raidou continued stroking with his fingers. "Of course! That'd be great! Please take care of her, Raidou-san!"

An immediate blush came to Iruka's face when Raidou nodded and smiled. "Will do."

Silence fell upon them once more. Iruka didn't stay for long since he had classes to attend to and quickly excused himself from gradually tensing atmosphere. Kakashi was wise enough to follow Iruka's example after raiding the box of donuts by the coffee counter, waving and disappearing behind the door. Genma however, was merely staring at Raidou quietly, a thousand things at the tip of his tongue while remaining a statue as Raidou continued to stroke the cat's fur.

When it took too long, Raidou looked up and sighed. "Okay, what's bothering you?"

Genma, to say the least, looked a bit startled by the question. "Uh. Nothing."

"Don't lie, Genma. It's all over your face." Raidou muttered, looking a bit peeved while he moved to rub at one of the cat's paw.

"It's been very difficult lately." Genma managed to say, shakily pulling a stool and trying to make himself as comfortable as he can. He merely ended up getting extremely tensed rather than relaxed.

"How come?" Raidou blinked, looking up at Genma.

"You know when you feel like you know everything at one point then bam!" Genma slapped a fist in to his palm lightly, pointedly _not_ looking at Raidou. "Outta' the blue, you're doubting what you once knew. Everything you knew."

Raidou was silent for the moment, contemplating on what Genma just said. He was studying the younger man, noticing the needle Genma normally chewed was not present. "Sorta'. I think."

Genma released the breath he didn't realize he was holding at Raidou's answer. "It's kinda' like that. I –" Genma stopped speaking when Raidou gave a sharp cry and jerked his hand back just as the cat jumped down his lap and scurried away out the open window.

"Damn cat!" Raidou growled, eyes narrowing and facial muscles drawing together to an expression of anger that Genma rarely saw on the older Jounin's face.

There was a moment of hesitation that shouldn't have been there in the first place deep inside Genma, before he stood up and quickly grabbed the tissue box from the nearby table. "Here." Raidou pulled out several sheets of tissue and quickly pressed it against the cut on his hand, which was bleeding too much for a simple cat-scratch. "It looks deep." Genma said just as Raidou tossed a wad of soaking bloody tissues in to the bin and grabbed cleaner wads to stop the bleeding.

"Fucking cat dug its claw in that's why. It's so going to pay for this." Raidou hissed, wincing a bit as he applied more pressure.

"Let me see." Genma reached out for Raidou's hand only to stop when he found Raidou glaring at him.

"What? I've had wounds worse that this before."

For a moment, Genma was tongue-tied, blinking and brain not comprehending the words. When he finally did, he lost his temper. "What the fuck is the matter with you?"

Raidou's glare didn't falter when Genma's yell reverberated through the lounge. "You're treating me like a baby!"

"Well I'm sorry if my care for you runs too deep!" Genma yelled, honey eyes flashing with emotions he's been trying to keep in control for quite some time. "I'm sorry if my caring for you offends you! Why don't you just hit me while you're at it, huh?"

Raidou grabbed more tissue once the one he was holding got too soaked. "No one asked you to care!"

If possible, it angered Genma even more. "You're right! No one did! Not you! Not anyone! You're not the Raidou I once knew!" Genma took a step back towards the door, tossing the box of tissue he was holding towards the couch Raidou was previously occupying. "Right now, I wish you'd just fucking bleed to death! Maybe the loss of blood will bring some sense in to that screwed up head of yours!"

Without another word, Genma left, upset and slamming the door. Raidou tore his gaze away from the door and continued to nurse his bleeding hand. It was a good minute later did he head for the clinic nearby to get his hand bound.

XXX

Raidou fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. The day's happenings might not have been exhausting to the body but it exhausted his mind to points of breaking that he didn't know how to handle it but collapse and surrender to sleep.

He found himself melting in to a dream landscape where everything was white and quiet. Confused, he took a look around and found that it was indeed an empty white space; like a huge room painted white from top to bottom. Only then did he notice that his supposed to have been bandaged hand was bleeding again; the three deep gashes caused by the cat's claws looked like angry welts and was protruding around the broken skin like it was infected. The blood dripped from his hands on to the white floors even while he tried to stop the bleeding by the gripping the gashes tight with his other hand. Something warm and wet landed on his cheek, then on his nose and forehead, then all over his chest and sleeping pants. Raidou noticed the dense red drops and knew it was blood. He winced as fast falling drops landed on his eyelids, making him blink and curse.

He looked up and found a person standing directly above him, wearing sleeping pants and gripping a bleeding hand too. Raidou's lips parted in surprise as he noted that the man above him, who looked like he was floating or standing on an invisible surface, had the same posture as he did. The blood that was falling on Raidou was his own; that man above him was him.

"Then …" Raidou mumbled and looked down, to find a mirrored image of himself looking down too, only the scene he was seeing was no longer white but red. Confused, he looked up again and found the reflection above him looking down at him, no longer gripping the bloodied hand but holding it out instead, so that the blood from the ugly now purple swollen gashes fell on Raidou's face and gaping mouth till Raidou found himself drowning in his own blood, his own life.

Raidou sat up from bed with a cry, hands moving up to his face in terror. It took a few moments of stilled silence to calm his panicked mind, white swirls of mist forming and disappearing from his frantic breaths from the cold temperature of his apartment. When Raidou's mind finally did calm down and his breathing evened, he ran shaking fingers through his hair and then stared at them, noting uncontrollable tremors that racked in his cold body.

"Geez." He sighed with relief, and clenched his hands to fists, feeling the cold touch of his fingertips against his already white palm. The cold bothered him just as much as the dream did. Swallowing, he swung his legs off the bed and bit his lower lip as renewed coldness shot up through his feet. "Damn cold! Fuck!"

He felt for the switch on the wall and flicked the lights on. Raidou wrapped his arms around himself and quickly fiddled with the switch at the bottom of the window where his heater was placed, turned the machine on full blast and welcome the warm air. He held his fingers out towards the swinging panels till he brought back some feeling in to them. He remained in his room, till he was warm enough to fetch a drink from the kitchen.

A quick glance at the kitchen wall clock told him that it was only three in the morning. He set his kettle to boil and prepared a cup of chamomile mixture. He was still too sleepy to be up but the nightmare shook him and it was only nerves that were even keeping him on his feet. Senses out, he pulled a stool and slumped on his counter, waiting for the kettle to whistle. He remained that way until he heard a series of raspy strangled noises. Blinking, his honed senses picked the noise up easily, the sound becoming louder the more he focused on it. It puzzled him that it sounded near.

Stifling a yawn, Raidou moved out of his kitchen to his living room where his kunai was lying haphazardly on the floor. It took a few moments for him to collect his memory, clearly remembering that he had tossed his kunai holster on the couch along with his flak jacket. The jacket remained on the couch, folded once over the arm rest in the same manner Raidou remembered. Scratching his head, he picked the fallen kunais on the floor and placed them on his living room table, moving towards the door where the noise was coming from outside.

The moment Raidou touched the first door-bolt, a shiver run down his spine just as those hiss-choking-like noises got louder. He shouldn't be hesitating in opening his own front door, especially when he can't sense any sort of killing intent around him or a person's presence. Steeling himself, he wrenched the door open and stepped outside his hallway only to stop cold in his tracks. The hallway was dimmer than it should've been and right in front of his door, on what should have been clean walls was a pinned cat. Raidou watched with horror as those choking noises engulfed him, eyes glued to the tortured gray animal that was held in place on the wall by a kunai in the throat; the kunai's angle was embedded in such a way that it kept the struggling animal alive but damaged it's vocal chords.

Raidou's eyes trailed to the kunai that looked too familiar. Raidou took a step back from the choking animal that was staring at him with angered and begging yellow eyes. Raidou knew that cat and as soon as his mind registered who that cat was, the gashes on his hand throbbed in reminder.

"Fuck. Oh fuck." Raidou stumbled back towards the apartment, tearing his gaze off the struggling cat that gurgled blood and soiled the floors and walls with it. His mind went in to full blown panic frenzy as he skidded to his knees by his living room table and quickly counted the kunais he had. What should have been six was only five and Raidou didn't know how many times he counted it but he felt a scream bubble in his throat and tear out like a rampaging animal. The cat's nearly-silenced screams were suddenly extremely too loud for him take.

The loud rattle and groan of the elevator ascending pushed Raidou to his feet to bolt out of his apartment towards the approaching elevator, only to stop once again with a scream at the tip of his tongue when he saw the call button glowing. He looked around him wildly, desperate in finding some sort of presence and found none. The elevator came to a stop at his floor and Raidou looked in to find it empty, eerie and waiting and couldn't stop the whimper from escaping his lips as he ran blindly for the stairwell. He pressed the timed-light-switch and hurried down the stairs, taking the steps three at a time. His whole body shook with the onslaught of cold that surrounded him, hindering his normal agility and speed. He stumbled several times and scraped his knees and toes on his way down. His desperation made him whisper frantic prayers as landing after landing was left behind.

"Help me. Gods help me!" He begged desperately and toppled on the ground by the fourth floor catching sight of the big painted number on the wall that made him pull a memory from the back of his head of one of the doors on the fourth floor having a pair of boots sitting outside on the doormat. The moment the thought crossed his mind, he turned quickly to continue his way downstairs just as the timer for the light switch came to a stop and the entire stair well was flooded in darkness. Raidou stumbled, lost his footing and fell head first down the stairs, landing with a grunt and a cry on the third floor's emergency exit door. "Help me. Oh gods please. Please!" He whimpered, leaning against the wall and shakingly searching for the switch he couldn't find. The cold numbed him, doubling his panic as screams of terror escaped his mouth in to the night. "Genma! Genma! Genma!"

The cat's tortured cries rang out even louder; all Raidou could do was clamp hands to his ears, huddle and shut his eyes while tears leaked out from the closed lids and call for his friend's name over and over again.

XXX

Genma woke up with a bit of a start that morning. He hadn't been dreaming but what woke him up was the feeling as if someone used his chest as a landing cushion. A glance at the clock told him it was a quarter past eight.

"Shit." He grumbled and quickly hurdled for the bathroom to get dressed before heading for the administration building to complete his assigned missions.

He found Iruka looking upset that morning. "Ah, good morning, Genma-san."

"Ei Iruka-sensei." Genma greeted, stifling a yawn. "You look like you just got slapped. What's up?"

"Slapped with horror you mean." Iruka said, frown deepening. "Remember that cat yesterday?"

"Yeah. Made Raidou scream bloody murder for nearly taking his hand off." This time, Genma didn't stop the yawn from coming out of his mouth.

Iruka frowned at him. "I found the cat."

"What are you so upset about then? It ran off from Raidou yesterday. Good thing you found it." Genma rubbed at a sleepy eye, just as he noticed Iruka look more upset. "Iruka-sensei?"

"It was in one of the garbage bins outside. It was dead Genma. Hole in the throat." Iruka sighed. "It looked like an accident. You know how things are around here. Can't help but throw kunais at a small snap of a twig."

"It must have been an accident." Genma said. "It's not uncommon to find such things."

"I know." Iruka sighed. "Whoever did it could have at least wrapped it in plastic or some bag rather than leaving it like that."

Genma reached forward and patted Iruka's shoulder. "It's all right Iruka-sensei."

"Yeah." Iruka sighed, reaching out for one of the folders. "You're an hour and a half late Genma-san. This mission was supposed to be taken at seven, not –" Iruka glanced at the wall clock. " – at eight-thirty-five."

"Sorry. I sorta' slept in. I'll make sure I finish it though." Genma apologized and took the folder.

"And to think only Raidou-san would be late." Iruka grumbled.

Genma blinked, looking up from the folder he was reading. "He didn't come by yet?"

"No." Iruka sighed. "And he's going to get hell from Hokage-sama. This has to be done by today." Iruka tapped at the folder that was assigned to Raidou. "Can you drop by and see what's taking him so long? He's usually here early."

Genma was about to say no but something forced him to pick the folder up and nod. "I'll go now."

"Thank you, Genma-san." Iruka said, smiling. "Take care on your mission."

"Yeah." Genma waved and disappeared out the door, heading for Raidou's apartment complex. It didn't take long for Genma to climb the staircase to the tenth floor, choosing to ignore the elevator simply because he didn't like the loud rattle of the machine. Pushing the sliding emergency door open on the last floor, Genma made his way down the hallway, yawning once more and blinked at the site of Raidou's wide open doorway. "Raidou?"

Puzzled, Genma made his way inside the apartment, noting the scattered kunai on the living room table and the folded flak jacket on couch arm rest. He couldn't feel any presence and it made him worry. Genma's frown deepened, footsteps quickening as he headed for the bedroom and pushed the door open. A startled gasp broke from Genma's throat at the sight of Raidou crumpled on the extremely cold floor, unmoving.

"Fuck!" Genma dropped the folders and was by Raidou's side immediately. Hoisting the older man's weight on one arm, he stared with horror at the blue tainted lips and pale face color. "Oh god." Genma whispered, quickly feeling for a pulse that he found very slow and almost not there. The body in his arms was cold, Raidou's fingers and toes tinged with blue that was turning purple. "Raidou? Oi! Raidou!" Genma shook the man a bit and only ended up with Raidou's head lolling to one side and remaining unconscious. "Fucking ass-wipe froze his ass to death!"

Grabbing the blanket from the bed, Genma threw it over Raidou's shirtless frame and bit back the shiver than run down his spine as he lifted Raidou in his arms and carried him out of the apartment. Genma was starting to find the place too cold for comfort, the soft drizzle of rain outside not helping with the temperature either. Shifting Raidou's weight against him, Genma hurried down the staircase, stopping somewhere between the fifth floor and fourth floor when he heard loud doors slamming simultaneously. Genma remained frozen for a moment, holding Raidou closer to himself and looking behind him to find the emergency door swinging open. It didn't take more than a brief second for Genma to turn around and jump down the stairs with chakra-induced steps. His heart pounded in his chest as loud as horse hooves on asphalt just as he rushed past the last swinging door and in to the morning drizzle. Genma cast the complex an almost trapped looking glance before turning around and rushing for the hospital to get Raidou some help.

XXX

Genma watched doctors come in and out of Raidou's room. It was mild pneumonia and nothing serious. Apparently, Raidou was suffering from a mild concussion as well. It was a freak analysis in Genma's opinion because no one got a concussion just by falling off the bed. No one got pneumonia from sleeping on ceramic or marble floors either. He voiced out his thoughts to the hospital staff taking care of Raidou and was told that those were indeed Raidou's symptoms, whether he fell off the bed or not or slept on cold floors or not.

Either way, Genma found it fruitless to argue with medics and simply remained silent and frowning as Raidou was wheeled to the recovery room, asleep. Genma followed quietly, watching as the medics kept Raidou tucked on a clean bed before leaving.

Genma didn't know what to think. While the blue tinge was gone from Raidou's lips, his tanned skin was paler than it was earlier, with an almost sickly yellow tinge to it. Genma was torn in debating as to which was a better color; pale yellow or deadly blue. Simply watching Raidou lie still and _breathe_ was enough of a reminder at how _dead_ looking Raidou was in his own bedroom floor.

Pulling a chair, Genma sat beside Raidou's bed, taking one of the pale hands under the sheets and holding it close to his forehead.

"Raidou. What's happening to you?" Genma asked in a whisper.

It was a good hour later did Genma stand up to leave and gather those mission instructions he left at Raidou's bedroom doorway.

XXX

_The images flashed in his head like a malfunctioning projector. It was a memory that couldn't make sense nor did he have any recollection of it. _

_He stumbled through a slightly messy looking apartment, blood dribbling down his clothes and creating a mess on familiar looking ceramic walls. The window was open, letting in a rush of cold air as clanking sounds of weapons hitting the floors bounced off the walls. Anguished prayers of desperation mumbled out of his dry lips, tears running down pale and bloodied cheeks. _

_The scraping of a stool was ear shattering. The knots of thick wires being tied to the ceiling lamp hook was even louder. Stepping on the stool, he slipped the round knot over his head and slid it down his throat, securing it with a tug. _

"_Heavens forgive me and purge the blood off my hands. Heavens hear my prayer and grant me release from this hell. Heavens give me sanctuary." _

_And then he was choking and swinging from the ceiling, the vision of the open doorway slowly fading, so he could no longer see the bloodied limbs scattered everywhere on the apartment hallway; nor could he see the bloody sprays of anguish that marred the clean blue wall paint. _

_All he knew then was the extreme cold claiming his body, and his throat closing to silence off his feeble prayers and the feel of blood bubbling out of his lips and more tears falling down his face._

Raidou snapped his eyes open, breaths coming out in thirsty gasps as his mind focused on the clean hospital ceiling. Desperation flooded him, eyes watering and scrunching up in a sudden show of vulnerability, as he begged for the presence of a friend, the name spilling out of his mouth sounding like an anguished prayer.

"Genma …"

TBC

Arrr … finally an update! Scared my self one too many in attempting to write this. Wrote it in broad daylight too.

Uhm yeah, I should be concluding this very soon. Not far off before it ends anyway.

Err … bad? Rotten tomatoes bad?

I pity both. Really.


	9. Chapter 9

I do not own Naruto. Never will.

**SANITY 9**

Genma found himself hesitating in entering the building. It's been some time already since K's death and he was wondering why no replacement was sent. His ninja senses told him that the place was empty. It bothered him that Raidou would come home to such an empty looking complex.

"It's his choice." Genma grumbled to himself as he headed for the entrance. He peered at the now clean lobby desk. The memory of how Raidou felt so sick after seeing the mess it was in not long ago was enough to make him frown. Everything was too clean, like nothing happened. The notice board of the building functions was up again; reprinted. There was a list of contacts of the building maintenance crew along with the owner's. Genma found his eyes focusing on the owner's address.

Without really thinking, he pulled a pen from his back pocket and jotted the address down on his palm, quickly memorizing it for good measure. He was staring at the list of contacts, noting the plumber's company along with the electricians that were responsible for any sort of problem that may occur in the building when he was jolted out of his senses by the sudden rattle of the elevator ascending.

Genma stared at the elevator doors and approached it. The machines died down, the elevator stopping at Raidou's floor. Genma's frown deepened as he took a turn for the stairwell and climbed as fast as he could. The sooner he gets those mission instructions, the sooner he can get things over and done with and watch over Raidou.

Genma couldn't help but feel uncomfortable as he pushed the emergency door of the tenth floor open and took a turn for Raidou's door. He passed by the elevator, the door open and waiting, cold, empty and eerie. Genma couldn't tear his gaze away from the empty elevator even as he walked passed it. He remembered leaving Raidou's door unlocked earlier; without closing the door behind him, he hurriedly headed for the small clutter of scrolls within the apartment, gathered them and strapped them around his thigh with a holder. Genma didn't know why his hands were suddenly shaking and why they were sweating. Out of habit, he closed his eyes and calmed himself, stretching his senses out and feeling around the building and rebounded over another presence.

Genma's spine tingled at the rebound, eyes meeting the floor.

There was someone in the building.

For a brief moment, Genma felt an immense rush of relief wash over him. He was starting to really believe that no one came home to the building except Raidou. Shaking his head at his silliness, he felt a small silly grin curl on his lips. Lifting his head off the floor, he caught sight of his reflection on the balcony window; the smile immediately vanished.

His reflection didn't scare him. It was the reflection of the other person standing right behind him, staring at him with an unreadable gaze. He was bloody and shirtless, a rope noose dangling around a bruised and scratched neck. Genma knew the face well.

Genma spun around quick, to face the person behind him, to question that man he called his best friend why he was out of the hospital and why was he a mess; only there was no one behind him. There was no presence and there was no blood stains on the floor where the presence was previously standing. He was starting to have second thoughts and quickly tried to undo whatever Genjutsu he might be in only to find that he wasn't in one and that what he saw was no illusion.

The sound of the elevator machine rattling echoed throughout the building as it descended.

Genma bolted for the stairwell without thinking. He could be faster than the elevator if he chose to be. He made sure that reached the ground floor before the elevator did, in hopes that it was someone downstairs who called for the elevator only to come to a skidding halt in front of the door.

The call button was not glowing.

He was half tempted to call the elevator crazy and malfunctioning but he knew he couldn't. It was one of those call-and-work ones, specially designed by Konoha's engineers so as to save more electricity. The elevator remains "switched off" unless a call button is called or someone steps in and hits a button.

"If no one's here, then who …" Genma watched as the elevator appeared in front of him and a soft ding sounded off. Genma stared at the empty space, the cold atmosphere of the building rousing goosebumps all over him.

Genma didn't hesitate in turning around and getting out of the place as fast as he can.

Elevators didn't move on their own.

XXX

Genma returned home after his due-work and quickly got dressed and left again. He checked in earlier at the hospital and found that Raidou was asleep and that relieved him. He knew that if Raidou woke up, he'd force himself to leave the hospital. Raidou hated hospitals ever since that incident that scarred his face.

Genma didn't know why he was feeling nervous or why he was even bothering, but he was jumping from roof to roof towards the district where the owner of the complex Raidou lived in. It didn't take long for him to find the small house with a small grocery store.

Genma stared at the house and reminded himself that he's just worried about Raidou and that he's doing this for Raidou's good. Sighing, he took a step towards the gate entrance and rang the doorbell.

A middle aged woman peered from the grocery store's counter, dressed in a simple shirt and plain skirt. "Yes?"

"Excuse me, but I just have a few questions." Genma called out.

The lady disappeared and came out of a side door and approached the gate. "Can I help you, sir?"

"Yeah, actually. I'd be very grateful. Is Fuji-san in? I would like to speak with him. I found his contact address at the apartment building a friend of mine is living in and I was just wondering –" Genma stopped when the woman frowned. "I'm sorry. Is this a bad time?"

The lady kept looking at him. "I'm sorry, sir. Fuji-san is no longer here."

Genma found desperation lacing his tone. "When will he be available, ma'am?"

"Fuji-san passed away a few weeks ago, sir."

Genma felt his moth slack in surprise. "I – I'm sorry." The lady shook her head. "I'm very sorry for the loss. But please, is there anyone else you can direct me to who has any information on the apartment's maintenance? Anyone at all?"

The lady hesitated for a long time before unlocking the gate. "Come in."

Genma couldn't help but sigh in relief as he stepped in. He followed the woman towards the front door of the house. The lady led him towards a waiting room with tatami mats and a small table with clean cups upturned over a tray ready for use. The lady left him there, disappearing around a corner and appearing a few minutes later with a plate of snacks of and a steaming teapot.

"I am very sorry for the intrusion. I must sound very rude and very demanding to you. Again, I must apologize. It's just that –"

"I don't blame you sir." The lady said, taking two cups from the tray. "You said a friend lived in that building?"

"Yes. Yes, a very close colleague of mine. He just moved in a few weeks ago."

"I see."

Genma waited for a moment as the tea was served and took a sip before continuing with his query; he had to be polite and thankful after all. "I never really introduced myself. I'm Shiranui Genma. I, actually, came on behalf of my friend. Namiashi Raidou."

The lady set her cup down. "Taka. My name is Taka."

Genma inclined his head. "Taka-san."

"Namiashi-san; I remember that name."

Genma blinked, surprise evident on his features. "You have?"

"Yes. Fuji-san is my father in law. Before he died, we received a note from the boy who acted as a watchman at the lobby." Taka said, hands moving to rest on her lap.

"K?"

"Yes, that's him, may he rest in peace. His note mentioned Namiashi-san being the new tenant. My father in law was not happy and he was angry for having K agree in to having Raidou move in immediately. We were in the Water country. Father left immediately that morning of course, instead of the evening as planned. He did mention that he was going to pull the contract back." Taka's brows narrowed a bit in confusion; Genma's heart skipped a beat and his palms began to sweat. "I am surprised Namiashi-san never met him."

"He – He was actually rather disturbed. K mentioned, before his death that Mr. Fuji would meet with him in two day's time."

"Maybe they never did meet." Taka's gaze remained on her cup.

Genma dropped his palms to rest on his knee caps, attempting to wipe the sweat on his pants. "I don't want to intrude, Taka-san, but – " Genma hesitated some more as Taka raised her head to look at him. " – how did Fuji-san die?"

Taka's eyelids slid shut as she released a silent and shaky breath. "He drowned. His body was found the next day by the banks downstream."

Genma dropped his gaze. He felt sorry for the family's loss. "I want to be honest with you Taka-san. I came here because I am rather worried."

"I know. I'm surprised it took this long. I never approach that building and I don't intend on telling my children that the building is now theirs. Inheritance."

"I don't mean to intrude but, your husband …"

"He was a shinobi. He passed away years ago."

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right." Taka released another shaky breath despite her calm expression. "Shiranui-san, I will get straight to the point. No one lives in that building. Not since my husband passed away and all responsibility fell back again to my father in law. Namiashi-san is the only one living there right now."

Genma felt like he just got kicked in the gut. "I'm sorry? I mean, I knew that no one comes and if they did, I rarely run in to them. I just assumed that most of those who lived there were in long term missions but …"

"No, no one lives there. It is only Namiashi-san. K was responsible for keeping the lobby clean and that is all. He and my father in law passed away the same day and I –"

"What?"

"The same day. My grandfather's body was found in the evening. K in the morning."

Genma, for all his experiences as a ninja, did not believe in coincidences. "Taka-san, I am confused."

Taka took a while to reply, and for a moment she looked like she didn't want to continue the conversation at all. But after a few moments of sipping her now lukewarm tea, she inhaled deeply and looked at Genma once more.

"This may sound foolish, for you are a shinobi, Shiranui-san. But, do you believe in curses?"

Genma blinked, unsure where the conversation was heading. He's seen too much as a shinobi of twenty-nine. "Sometimes."

"I personally never liked that building, Shiranui-san. From the time it was constructed years ago, till now, it's been a magnet of misfortunes. I must sound foolish to you, calling a building cursed. You are a shinobi after all."

Genma however, did not think of Taka foolish. "No, Taka-san. I don't think you are foolish in saying that." Taka nodded in understanding to his reply.

"Your friend, you must make him leave that house. Look for another place to live in, start over. I'm not one to be superstitious or curse-believing either, but those who lived, or used to live in that building just ended up in a lot of unfortunate situations."

"How so?"

"You know what I speak of, Shiranui-san. You wouldn't be here if you didn't."

Genma thought back to Raidou's changes, to his fluctuating attitude and all the times they fought. It wasn't the Raidou he knew. "Taka-san, if Fuji-san never intended for anyone to rent out the place, then why was there an ad?"

"Ad?"

"Yes, an ad from a newspaper. Raidou came to know of the building from an ad. Why would Fuji-san print an ad on the paper if he didn't want anyone renting an apartment there?"

Taka looked rather pale, or perhaps it was a trick of the light, Genma wasn't sure. "No, Shiranui-san. In all my life in living under the Fuji household with my children and husband, I know that they only advertised the apartment once. And that was when it fell under my husband's responsibility, as his inheritance."

Genma blinked slowly, unsure how to digest the information. "And when would that have been?"

"I believe it was just after we got married. About twenty years ago."

Genma's hands shook. "Then the ad …"

"Shiranui-san, do you know why my father in law refused to rent out the house anymore?" Taka asked, to which Genma shook his head. "There was a mass murder there about seventeen years ago. The situation, under the rule of Sandaime-sama, was kept quiet so as not to promote bad image of our village's shinobi. Everyone in that building was slaughtered by a tenant of the building itself."

"S-Slaughtered?"

"Yes. That is why when K …"

Genma got to his feet immediately. "Thank you, Taka-san."

"Shiranui-san, I am sorry. I know I should have approached Namiashi-san myself, but believe me, I do not want to have to do anything with that house anymore. Nor do my children need to know."

"Your husband knew of this? Of this mass murder?"

"Yes. He was one of the victims."

"Who killed them all Taka-san? Which tenant? Do you know which apartment the tenant lived in?" Genma knew he was as pale as a ghost. He didn't need a mirror to see his own reflection when he felt too afraid.

Taka looked him in the eyes and said, "Yes. He hanged himself after killing everyone. It was the tenant in apartment ten-F."

Genma was very aware that he stopped breathing the moment Taka said those words.

XXX

Genma found himself leaving Taka almost immediately to head for the hospital. He was comforted by the fact that he was still asleep and on medication so he wasn't worried that Raidou would just return home without him knowing. He'd be too weak to move from all the drugs in his system.

Genma didn't head home that night. Instead, he headed for Konoha's public library, earning a look of distaste from the librarian when he asked for all the old newspapers dating back to seventeen years ago.

He was shown to a dusty small room at the back where all the newspapers published were arranged in proper stacks according to dates. Genma had to give the Genins credit for doing all the boring jobs. It made searching easier.

Pulling a stool, he counted through the year Taka mentioned and started sifting through the stack. He would have been young then, maybe just starting out at the academy. He would be ignorant of these things, because as a child, he was never interested with how the village was run. All he was ever interested in was learning how to fight and helping out in the war. Everyone, during those years, would be busy with all the conflicts between the countries. When one war ended, another one started. Genma knew that he will have to look deep through the papers. Most of the headlines he came across were war-news and diplomatic situation that conjured such wars.

Genma's eyelids were starting to feel like molted iron. He was sifting through the month of November when a small article caught his eyes.

_Respectable shinobi commits suicide and mass murder_

Genma blinked and read the short article, extracting the name of the killer to be Watanabi Haru. There wasn't much information in the yellowing newspaper, save for the fact that the tenants are all dead and that the owner's son was one of the victims too. Genma thought about it from a different perspective. To have an article of something so big within the village written in nothing more than a small and non-informative piece of article, it was clear that the village wasn't interested in knowing. It happened right in the middle of one of the most taxing war Konoha ever faced; Konoha faced many wars.

Mass murderers as such wouldn't be a big wow. Genma guessed that Haru must have snapped for the article said that he was a respectable shinobi. Shinobi going insane during wars was not uncommon. In fact, it was very normal. Genma wouldn't be surprised if he snapped.

But that still didn't explain Raidou's situation.

Genma continued sifting through the rest of the piles and found nothing else about the apartment nor about Fuji and his property or Haru and his story.

Genma stood up and returned the newspapers back to its proper place. Maybe he was just looking too much in to Raidou. Raidou wouldn't snap that easily because he was a strong man. Raidou was one of the toughest when it came to enduring things and Genma believed that whole heartedly. He was just being paranoid.

He made sure everything was cleaned up before heading back to the hospital.

He hoped Raidou was awake. He needed to talk to him.

TBC

I needed to give Genma some attention. And this is soooo late. It's probably a lame chapter on its own. I just want to finish this fic is all …. Meh. Probably filled with mistakes too. Sorry. I no beta.

Sorry --


	10. Chapter 10

I do not own Naruto. I never will. Meh.

**SANITY 10**

When Genma entered Raidou's room, Raidou was awake and looking out the window. Genma noted that the feeding tube was no longer present. The room was as pale as Raidou. Genma remained by the door, waiting for Raidou to actually acknowledge his presence or at least move. He was already having second thoughts in disturbing Raidou with his suspicions and, for the lack of a better word, fears.

When Raidou didn't move, Genma approached him, pulling a chair and sitting beside him. "Hey."

"Hey." Raidou mumbled, voice strained and scratchy as he turned to look at Genma.

Genma noted the horrible deep sunken eyes and dark circles. His irises were no longer visible due to his dilated pupils. His skin had visible spots due to the exceedingly pale color he was in. The corner of his lips were dark and the scars on his face seem to crinkle more than it should.

"Good to have you back." Genma smiled, despite his best friend's appearance.

"It's good to see you. Where were you?" Raidou adjusted his head on the pillow so that he wasn't craning his neck too much.

"Missions. I just got back." Genma shrugged.

Raidou remained quiet for a while before he smiled at Genma. Genma didn't know how to react because it's been a long while since Raidou smiled that way. He found it rather ironic that Raidou was smiling this way while being at the state he was in.

"Liar." Raidou chuckled then looked out the window. "Is it warm outside?"

Genma blinked from the previous accusation. "Sort of. Are you cold?"

"No. But I know I don't feel the warmth. It'd be nice, summer you know? The beach." Raidou slid his eyelids shut, as if picturing the ocean. "Because it feels like I'm always in the Snow country."

Genma bit the urge to take his friend's hand and warm them in between his; it would improper. They were not in that kind of relationship. "You were diagnosed with pneumonia."

"I know. Still though. Doesn't hurt to dream." Raidou opened his eyes and looked at the window again.

Genma looked at his shoes. "No. It doesn't."

Silence came over both of them, neither saying a word. Genma wasn't sure how to bring up the reason he came and what he really wanted to tell Raidou. Watching his friend stare at the window in his almost ghostly pallor, Genma felt utterly helpless. Genma decided to make casual conversation instead but Raidou beat him to it.

"Izumo and Kotetsu came by earlier." Raidou said, eyes softening at the memory.

Genma felt a smile tug at his lips. If anyone was in need of some cheering up, that duo can be counted on. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, They looked happy." Raidou's fingers started to fiddle with the hem of his blanket.

"They're always happy. They're the most cheerful pair I've ever met. When they're out of duty that is." Genma leaned against his chair, relaxing a bit.

"They're happy with each other."

Genma blinked. "I guess."

Raidou's lips tugged up again in to a fond smile. "It must feel nice. To be loved that way."

Genma stared at Raidou's face. "Which way?"

"The way they do for each other. It must feel nice." Raidou laughed a bit, a pleasant sound despite the slight strain in his voice. "Did it ever occur to you that they've been dating in secret?"

Genma's eyes widened. "I've had my suspicions but I never thought they were really dating."

"That's why they moved in together. I'm glad they're happy."

Genma nodded in agreement. "So am I."

Raidou was looking at the window again, thinking about the past. Genma didn't know why the fond and reminiscing expression on Raidou's face made his heart clench. It looked as if that's all Raidou will ever have; memories. Genma wasn't entirely sure how he got his tongue to work around the tight knot it was in either.

Swallowing the lump on his throat, Genma leaned forward a bit. "Raidou?"

"Hmm?"

"Look at me." Raidou turned his head towards Genma. Genma wasn't sure how he looked because Raidou's expression turned to a worried one. "When you get out of here, we're going to find a nice apartment and we're going to live together, like Izumo and Kotetsu. And then, we're going to take a day off or two and go to the beach."

Genma's voice was shaking, unsure and terrified of what he's saying. He's putting his years of friendship with Raidou in jeopardy by even announcing such a thing.

"Genma …"

Genma took Raidou's hand then and pressed his forehead against the cold calm, clutching it tight, afraid of something that he's not entirely sure of. "I swear to you that you won't regret it. I'm going to make you the happiest man ever. I swear my life on that."

Raidou chuckled, voice trembling a bit when he spoke. "What's gotten in to you, Genma? You do make me happy."

Genma shook his head, moving to sit on the bed. "No, no I don't. I want to be able to love you, Raidou."

Raidou's eyes were wide, unbelieving. Genma knew he must sound crazy, but he didn't care. He looked away from Raidou's face, afraid that Raidou might say something cruel again, but kept holding his hand. It surprised him when Raidou returned the hold. When Genma was able to look at Raidou again, Raidou was smiling; happily, gratefully and it shattered Genma's heart that such simple words could make Raidou's face look so young and so _happy_. It made Genma wonder just how much Raidou longed for that kind of affection.

"Thank you, Genma."

Genma smiled, laughed and held Raidou's hand close to his chest. He believed then and there, that Raidou was going to be really okay.

XXX

Raidou remembered falling asleep with Genma holding his hand. No matter how much he convinced the man to go home and get some rest, Genma remained stubborn. He didn't want to admit the fact that he wanted Genma to stay because he didn't want to appear selfish but he was glad Genma stayed nonetheless.

Raidou woke up with a slight jolt in the middle of the night, with Genma asleep on the hospital chair, fingers relaxed around his hand and mouth open as he snored. Raidou's breath was coming out short and quick, as if in panic.

At the back of his mind, he knew that he shouldn't be around Genma anymore; he shouldn't get close, despite the offer that made him very happy. The dream of the hanged man and the scattered body parts kept coming back to his head in fast flicking pictures. Without really thinking, Raidou slid his hand out of Genma's quietly. With all his stealth, he dressed and left through the hospital window.

Raidou ran to his apartment, stopping in the middle of the dim lobby. He felt a presence behind him just as all the hairs at the back of his neck stood on end. Swallowing, Raidou climbed up the stairs to his flat, entering his cold home and bolting the door. He headed for the bedroom and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Counting silently from one to ten, he closed his eyes.

Almost immediately, sleep washed over him.

XXX

_When Raidou woke up, he heard loud thumping noises. Sitting up from bed, he followed the source of the sound. He took the stairs and found himself looking at the lobby. There was a figure wielding a kunai and stabbing an unmoving person on the floor. Raidou made a dash to stop the person but stopped instead, a scream bubbling in his throat as he watched himself stab K to death, and rip him to shreds with his hands and kunai, throwing pieces of him all over the place. _

_A quick glance around told him there was another body. Raidou felt his breath stop at the sight of the dead old man. His neck was twisted, broken in one quick turn. _

_"Die! Telling me to leave this house? It's mine! I live here! Die! Fucking bastards!" _

_Raidou shut his eyes and screamed._

XXX

Raidou sat up from his bed screaming. In his panic, he continued screaming and made a dash for the lobby with a kunai in hand. He headed for the technical room and drove his kunai in to the gas pipe, tearing it apart with strength he never he knew he could possess.

"I'm so sorry, K! I'm so sorry!"

Raidou tore the piping off, the smell of gas assaulting him. He headed back for his flat. He was not religious by nature but for some odd reason, his trembling hands dug out his old praying beads. He knelt in the middle of his living room and started praying fervently, not wasting a moment. It won't be long before the smell of gas fills the entire building. He was no longer thinking. He couldn't remember what happened but he knew he killed them; it wasn't even a mission.

In his chant of prayers, the beads trembled in his hands. The room grew cold, making the hairs in Raidou's body stand on edge. He wasn't sure what made him look up in front, but he did. In his haste, he left his front door wide open. He stared at the man standing in front of him, a noose around his neck, his clothes bloody and his eyes line with bluish-black circles. He was dressed like a Jounin; the flak jacket looked like the ones his father used to wear, the old models.

The stranger grinned, baring a set of full white teeth. "You killed them all. Didn't it feel great?"

"Who the fuck are you?" Raidou gritted out, hands shaking. The cold was seeping in to his bones, shaking his entire body. His words came out choked and forced. He couldn't stop the chattering of his teeth. Raidou knew, in his kneeling position with the man towering above him, he was in a very vulnerable state.

"You tore them apart. Painted the room in blood and flesh. It was magnificent."

"I did not!"

"You long for it. You shouldn't fight it. We, ninjas, are bound to love the sight of blood. The kill. The death of innocents. You are marvelous!"

"No!"

"Kill! You love it! Admit it!"

"No! I don't! I don't like it! You bastard! Go away! Go away!"

Raidou threw his praying beads at the man. It hit him on the face and fell on the floor with a clatter. Raidou didn't hesitate in getting up and heading for the kitchen to grab the box of matches from the top of the refrigerator. He headed straight for the corridor and threw the emergency exit door open. He struck a match and tossed it down the stairs, watching as the flames lit and scattered. He headed back for the apartment just as he felt a smashing force hit him at the back of the head, his face colliding with the floor hard. Raidou heard his nose crack under the force and felt his teeth shake, blood oozing down his face as the stranger continued to smash his face on the floor.

But Raidou didn't care.

A loud explosion shook the building as the main pipe blew. The flames scattered all over the place quickly, engulfing everything in its path. The simultaneous sound of glass windows shattering rang out.

The stranger screamed and continued to pound Raidou's head in to the floor. It surprised Raidou that he wasn't loosing consciousness yet. The flames reached his kitchen and a loud explosion rocked the man gripping his hair, throwing him away a few feet. Raidou knew that the flames must have reached his aerosol cans of insecticides and air freshener under the sink.

Raidou skidded across the floor, his back colliding with one of the walls in his living room. He struggled to regain his senses, no longer sure what he should be doing and what he shouldn't. He caught sight of his wires by the couch where he threw his flak jacket a few days ago. Crawling towards it, he pulled out the wires and shakily made a thick noose with it.

Struggling to his feet, he wound the noose around his neck, and stood on his center table, wounding the wire on the lamp hook on the ceiling. He coughed and choked on the smoke, the heat making him sweat and hard to breathe.

He stared straight ahead, at the shelf where his television was sitting. Soon he won't own anything. His eyes strayed on the group photo lying on top of the television, taken during the Jounin graduation party years ago.

He stared at Genma's face and prayed that he'd understand and forgive him one day.

XXX

Genma woke up when the nurse started shaking him awake harshly.

"Shiranui-san! Shiranui-san! Where is Namiashi-san?" The nurse panicked.

Genma blinked and stared at the empty bed. It didn't take more than a few seconds to put two and two together to understand where Raidou went. He cursed loud, making the nurse step back from the extreme foul language he used.

He didn't even excuse himself. Without thinking, he headed directly for the apartment he knew Raidou would be in. When he spotted smoke and a bright flame from afar, his heart stopped beating. He stopped thinking as he hurried, ANBUs and other Jounins rushing to scene with him.

It was an inferno.

Genma found himself staring at the building that was once so beautiful now a mere blaze of orange and red. Around him, jounins and ANBUs were positioning themselves to stop the flame from scattering, to contain it with a water-based jutsu. None could situate themselves in one place because the building was coming apart. The concrete was falling off in large chunks, forcing the jounins and ANBUs to dodge the falling debris.

"Raidou!" Genma yelled, feeling for his presence. He couldn't concentrate hard enough in his panic.

"No one is inside!" One of the ANBUs yelled, so that Genma could hear him above the blazing noise.

"No! Raidou is still in there!" Genma yelled.

"The building is going to collapse! You can't get in!"

"You're fucking ANBU damnit!" Genma yelled and turned to face the building.

Genma knew no one was going to believe him. He ran past the people around him and threw himself in to the flames. Once in the middle of the lobby, he coughed and tried to see around him. It didn't occur to him to cast a jutsu from within. Instead, he took the stairs, where it was as hot as a sealed oven, and dodged the falling concrete. His clothes tore and his skin got scraped from all his dodging, but he didn't feel it. All that mattered to him was how he was going to get Raidou out of the still growing inferno.

He reached the top most floor, the floor already shaky and cracking as the flames around him licked everything. He coughed, his lungs struggling through the smoke and heat to continue functioning.

"Raidou!" Genma yelled as loud as he can and ended up in a coughing fit. He leaped large steps towards the door he knew Raidou lived in. "Raidou!"

He was foolish to hope that Raidou would answer. He found Raidou's open doorway and stared at the mess it was in. The flames were everywhere. He threw himself in, intent in searching for his friend. He didn't have to look far. He found Raidou swinging from the ceiling, his chokes silencing as he slowly turned blue and quiet.

Genma heard himself scream as he dashed for his hanged friend. He severed the chord from the ceiling, throwing it away as far as he can, just as part of the ceiling collapsed in front of the entrance, sealing them both inside. Genma made panicked noises as he held Raidou's head close to him, the blood on the man's ruined face staining his clothes. Genma could feel the tears of desperation trickling down his face as he looked around for a way to get out. He eyed the cracked glass of the living room balcony. The curtains were long gone, the curtain rod already on the floor. Soon the ceiling would fall on them.

Genma grunted as he lifted Raidou on his back, coughing hard and spitting as he got to his feet. Without hesitation, he ran towards the balcony and jumped, leaving the fire behind him. He could hear the chorus of shouts from below, all eyes on them.

Things slowed down for him, the cold air filling his lungs. It made him dizzy, see doubles, as his grip on Raidou loosened from the velocity of their fall. Genma shut his eyes bracing himself for the fall, ready to break a few bones to cushion their landing if he needs to.

He gripped Raidou tight, his safety coming first as he fell head first in to the ground.

The presence of trees jolted Genma from his daze, their fall cushioned by the sudden presence of tree branches and leaves. He felt the floor hit him and arms hoist him and drag him and his friend's weight away from the scene of the fire.

It was but a few seconds later after he got air in to his lungs and he could breathe again did he push past the hands trying to give him first aid and throw a tantrum.

"Raidou? Where's Raidou? Help Raidou! You have to get him to a hospital! Raidou!"

An ANBU held him down. "Shiranui-san, you must attend to your wounds first!"

"Where's Raidou?" Genma shoved the hands away and looked around, everything swaying around him as he got to his feet. He spotted a few people gathered around another figure a few feet away and wobbled his way towards them. He shoved the people away after catching sight of a familiar thatch of brown hair. He knelt by Raidou's slightly blue face, shaking him awake. "Wake up! Raidou! Wake up! You have to wake up you stupid bastard! Please wake up!"

"Shiranui-san, calm yourself. It's too late."

"No, you lie! You can't make a diagnosis! You're not a medic! He's just asleep!" Genma voice shook. He tried to look for a pulse and couldn't find any because his hands were shaking so much. "Raidou, goddamnit, wake up! Wake up!"

Other jounins were forced to pry Genma off Raidou as the man's body was carried away. Genma screamed and fought those holding him. He cursed and cursed until they were forced to knock him out to calm him down in his hysteria.

Genma hated them for it.

XXX

When Genma opened his eyes, he was on a hospital bed. He sat up with a jolt, shocking the nurse who was looking at his clipboard by the foot of the bed.

"Where's Raidou? Where is he?" Genma demanded, fearing the answer.

The nurse looked at the bed on the other side of the room, a curtain separating Genma's bed from the other. Genma got off the bed, wobbled a bit and pulled the curtain back.

Raidou was lying on the bed, attached to a respirator and half his face bandaged along with his nose. Genma found himself staring at the heart monitor, seeing the stable heart beats. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he knelt by the bed, taking Raidou's hand in his.

Genma dipped his head, thanking the heavens that his best friend was alive and breathing. The nurse left them both alone, closing the door behind her quietly. Genma could feel the tears pricking the corner of his eyes, the relief releasing a dam of emotions in him. His shoulders shook as he sobbed quietly. He really thought that he lost him to some angry and selfish spirit.

He really believed that Raidou left him that time.

Raidou's hand twitched in his, startling Genma. Genma looked up and found Raidou looking at him with one worried eye. Genma bit his lower lip and held Raidou's hand tighter.

"I thought you were dead." Genma whispered, voice cracking. "I thought I lost you."

Raidou shook his head a bit, eyes saying, _it's over now._

"If you left me, who am I going to share my apartment with?" Genma asked, touching his forehead to Raidou's pale and bruised hand.

Raidou wrapped his fingers around Genma's hand, attempting a reassuring squeeze.

"We'll start over. Is that all right?" Genma asked, sniffing and looking at Raidou. No trace of the building was salvaged. Raidou lost everything he ever owned and all that was left to him by whatever family he once had.

Raidou smiled at Genma, an unspoken thank you going out to his best friend.

XXX

When they were back on their feet, Raidou wordlessly walked back to where the building once was, Genma beside him. The debris was cleared and all that was left was a patch of dirt and sand. The area was taped, a sign warning off strangers.

Council's property – do not trespass.

A signboard was up, saying that the patch of land would be used for planting purposes instead of construction. From a distance, there was a group of monks blessing the land with prayers.

"It's over." Raidou mumbled, rubbing his still bandaged nose.

"Yeah." Genma nodded, an arm wrapped around Raidou's shoulder.

"May he rest in peace."

Genma knew who Raidou was talking about. "I thought I was going to lose you to him."

"When I was going to hang myself, I thought of you. I hoped, that you'd forgive me one day." Raidou said. Genma couldn't look at Raidou and stared at the monks instead. "It had to go."

"Yeah." Genma nodded, silence passing between them, just the distant hum of the monks' prayer and wind rustling the trees around them echoing. "Come on. Let's go home."

"Yeah."

FIN

This is finally done. I guess I don't really need to explain much. The man who possessed Raidou was attached to that house. So the house is gone, Raidou is gone.

I was supposed to end this fic originally by killing Raidou (ie) he went insane. But decided not to. I dunno. I get the feeling I've cheapened the story by going with this ending instead. Meh.

My inner Raidou/Genma love won over … plot. Meh.

This is done. Concluded. I hope you lovely readers enjoyed it as much as I've enjoyed typing it.

Domo!


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